The Accidental Return
by Savagekitty
Summary: Back in the Labyrinth one more, Sarah is unsure of how she got there but Jareth seems to be up to his old tricks again. COMPLETED!
1. PART ONE

The Accidental Return

PART ONE

Sarah stepped daintily around the poolside, feeling embarrassed and out of place in the bathing suit she was forced to wear. She was 19 years old and about to graduate high school. Only a few more days and she would be free of high school, starting her life at college, away from Toby, her step-mother and her smothering father. Days away and she still had to put up with trivial things like gym class. Usually she enjoyed gym class, it was a chance to get away from books and sitting for hours. Yet today… diving class. She disliked the water, she hated feeling naked, and somehow, she felt venerable in the water. She loathed diving even more. She didn't like the feeling of falling into nothing. She had those feelings before but she couldn't place them.

Sarah had almost forgot everything about the Labyrinth. It was only a foggy dream she had years ago. Yet after that dream, she put away her stuffed toys, took down her posters of favorite plays, discarded the world of make believe and concentrated on real life. Her father appreciated it because she helped with Toby more and her grades improved. But what led to this sudden change? She couldn't explain it. Maybe it was the dream. She tried to remember what it was about. Goblins? If it were about Goblins, wouldn't the dream have been frightening? No, she had woken up feeling somewhat refreshed, with that tingling feeling in her middle when she watched romantic movies. The only solid thing she remembered from the dream now and sometimes even dreamed about was a pair of discolored eyes.

She looked up at the ladder and sighed as the coach glared at her, "Come on Sarah. You graduate in three days. You can slack off during the summer. Get up there and dive so the others that actually like doing this can do it."

She cussed under her breath and climbed. Up and up and up, she reached the top and walked out onto the solid platform. The sun beat down on her, the weather was warm, even for June. The other girls yelled up at her to hurry up. They wanted to be in the water to cool off. She stood at the edge of the platform and took form, started to jump and slipped.

"Well great, klutzilla." She thought just before bashing her head into the edge of the concrete of the platform and falling like a stone into the water.

Gasping for life itself, she pulled herself up on the stony ground out of the pool. She coughed wildy, gasping again like a fish out of water, blinking. She lay on her back, staring up at the sky, just resting. When she had her breath back, she sat up slowly, testing herself. Wait, something was wrong. For one thing, she was wearing clothes. For another, shouldn't her coach and classmates be gathered around if she hit her head and fell in the water? She looked at her clothes, clinging wet linen shirt, ruined cream silk vest with green swirls, jeans. Her dark long hair stuck to her like seaweed. She felt her head, no knot from the bump, no blood, not even a headache. She crawled a little ways from the lily pond and stood up, shaking a little, looking around, really looking.

"Oh…shit."

A stone wall covered in twiggy dead growth stretched on into the horizon. Sickly yellow grass thrust up from the lichen covered ground. She looked at the lily pond, a fine cover of green ooze choked the lily pads. She looked down at herself, still wet but no ooze, thank goodness. She looked back at the wall and then the ground. Why did it shimmer like it was covered with a fine spray of glitter? Something lit by her ear, she brushed it away and it returned to bite her finger. She yelped and smacked it the fairy to the ground. It stood, gave her the finger and flew off.

"Oh shit…OH SHIT…"

"Sarah?"

She turned to a small man with a bag sprayer in his chubby dwarf like hands. Hoggle stared at her as she stared back. He hadn't changed much except a few more lines in his face and a reek that clung to him. Rotten eggs and dead fish. He took a step closer, "It is you, isn't it Sarah?"

He squinted at her and she took a step back, covering her nose, "Oh God…"

He stopped and blushed, shoving the bug sprayer into his belt, "Oh, the smell… I've gotten used to it…Sorry…"

"What IS it?"

"The Bog of Eternal Stench… I was made it's prince after you…left…"

"After I left…" She said slowly and then gasped, remembering. Remembering it all. Ludo, Sir Didymus, Toby, the Goblins, Hoggle and Jareth, king of this crazy world and it's goblins.

"Ohhh…. Oh no…"

"Welcome back to the Labyrinth, Sarah."


	2. PART TWO

The Accidental Return

PART TWO

When Toby was just two years old, and Sarah was 16, she had had a particularly angry shouting match with her step mother. She and her father went out for the night leaving Sarah to watch Toby. Sarah stomped to her room as a storm raged outside and found one of her most loved toys was on the floor. Someone had been in her room and she hated that. She went into her parents room where Toby still slept, finding he was awake from the thunder. She raged at him to stop crying.

"Ooooh! I wish the Goblins would come and take you AWAY! RIGHT NOW!" She cried as she left the room to get away from his crying. And as suddenly as she had said those words, he had stopped. That sudden stop had set the mood for the next ten hours of her life. It was suppose to be thirteen, but because of the unfairness of a certain King… well…

She had fought her way through the Labyrinth to find her brother Toby and she came face to face with the one that had snatched him from his crib. Jareth the Goblin King. He had sent her through the Labyrinth, knowing that paths would change on her, she would fall into traps, she would be misled by his goblins, and that she would give up. But she didn't give up because as she traveled, meeting friends, solving riddles, and falling for rotten tricks, she learned that hiding in books and plays all her life was no life at all. What was important was family. Toby was important.

That was the reason for the first visit to the Labyrinth and it's surrounding kingdom, The Underground. She looked at Hoggle now and blinked, unsure and confused, "Hoggle?"

"You DO remember!" He laughed and then turned serious, like he didn't mean for happiness to come on his lined face, "I mean, so what if you remember. You left us… of course all the people who leave the Underground for the Real World do forget about us… and never come back…"

"Oh HOGGLE!" Sarah hugged the little dwarf-like goblin and he struggled helpless in her arms. She leaned back, covering her nose, "UGH…"

"Like I said…"

"Bog of Eternal Stench… Yah I heard you. But why would he do that?"

"Does he need a reason to do things, Sarah?" He took his bug sprayer out started spraying fairies again. When Sarah had first met him he had been doing the same thing.

"Hoggle, why are you doing that?"

"What? Oh… I need lamps."

He picked up several stunned fairies and stuffed them into a leather pouch on his belt, "The bog gets dark at night and these made very good lamps, though, they die of the smell after a few days, so I'm always having to get new ones.

Sarah followed him of this coarse for several minutes, not really caring because these fairies weren't as sweet as she had read in the books. These fairies bit and had poison. She thought as she followed him around, watching him spray the little buggers and stuff them roughly into his pouch.

Why had she come back? She didn't say the words. She hadn't though of this place in years. In fact, she HAD forgotten all about it, except for that dream. Did Jareth have Toby again? Did he whisk her away, not being happy with the outcome of their last meeting? Hadn't "You have no power over me!" meant anything? She sighed, frustrated.

"Well, damn." She said at last.

Hoggle turned, "What was that, little lady?"

"I don't know why I came back and I need to find out. I have a life now and I can't just vanish from it at the whim of some…some… pretty boy King."

"Pretty Boy?" A deep broiling voice said.

Hoggle nearly jumped a mile and put his back to the wall, shaking. Sarah turned, looking for the source of the voice. A snowy barn owl flew over head, blinding Sarah for a moment as it dove at her. She threw her hand up to protect her face. The bird flew off and she lowered her arm, seeing Jareth for the first time in a long time.

He still looked the same as ever: handsome, cold, and demanding. His hair was spiked at top with shots of glittery gold in it, tendrils hung around his shoulders. His eyes, one blue one dark brown, looked her over. His clothes were black and wispy, she couldn't tell a shirt from cloak. It was like the shadows had covered him in their darkness. She recognized the outfit from when he first appeared to her in her parent's bedroom.

She put her hands on her hips, "Recycling old outfits?" She shot at him.

He sneered, "Still an ungrateful little girl. I could say the same for you. Though you were cleaner when I brought you to my kingdom."

Sarah looked down at herself, noticing mud streaked on her clothes and hands, her hair probably looked a mess. She blushed, feeling self conscience all of the sudden. Jareth grinned and came closer to her, "Ahhh, Sarah…"

He circled her, Hoggle stopped shaking now stepping closer to them, "Don't you hurt her, Jareth."

"Worried for her Hog's Head? I would think your smell would be more damaging to her. I won't hurt her…yet."

Sarah glared at him as he came back into her line of sight. She had stood still, like a person who discovers a cobra with it's hood up. She could see now he had those little bubbles in his hand. Those things were dangerous. He whirled three of them around in one hand, smiling innocently at her, "Three, Sarah. Like three wishes."

He tossed one at her and she flinched. It hit her and it was so cold then, she felt fine. She checked herself. She was wearing different clothes, but she knew these. It was the dress she had worn when he had poisoned her with the peach. She had dreamed of a costume party. This poofy nightmare of a dress would be something he would dress her in. Her hands went to her hair, teased and coifed into a brown cloud with some sort of ornament. She fisted her hands and stamped her foot. He laughed.

"You're lovely when you're angry."

"Jareth!"

He grinned and threw another bubble at her. This time she wore normal clothes, as if she was back at home. Jeans, her favorite green converse high-tops, a white t-shirt, and a green over shirt. The clothes she had worn to school that very day before she had changed for gym. Was he watching her?

"Not nearly as becoming but…" He shrugged, still twirling the last glass bubble in his gloved hand.

"Did you take Toby?" She was tired of playing around.

"I promised to leave him alone." He said, a twinkle of mischief in his eye.

She was puzzled, "Then why am I here?"

"Well my dear," the glass bubble grew larger and he held it up before her, "You're coming of age. I have watched you since you left my kingdom. You fascinate me. I could not believe I let you leave so easily before, and just because of those simple little words. Tut."

The glass ball played back their last encounter from his prospective. In it, she was a beautiful heroine, Hoggle was smaller and more ugly, Ludo looked more like an annoying dog, Sir Didymus and his steed were like rats and Toby was still Toby. He himself looked the same also, though, he noticed, certain things were a little larger. She blushed.

"As you well know, you are entering adulthood now. Graduating high school, going to college soon. So I thought, being an old friend, as a graduation present… I would give you half my kingdom."


	3. PART THREE

The Accidental Return

PART THREE

Sarah blinked at him, unable to think of something to say. As if her brain had stopped functioning, she forgot how to speak, how to work her limbs, only her eyes seemed to function. Jareth smugly stood there, hands on hips, proud he could make her go speechless. 

"You are out of your mind." She said at last.

From the look on his face, she knew that wasn't what she was suppose to say. Knowing him, she was suppose to go on her knees, thanking him, promising her young body forever to him. To be his slave. She snorted at the thought. 

"Send me back home Jareth and leave me alone, for God's sake. I have my family and their crazy problems to deal with. I don't have time to deal with your crazy infatuation with me."

As she said this, he was on her, face to face, his smell over powering her. He smelled like sweat and musk and something underlying it, something strong. She had to get a hold of herself, she liked the smell of him. She wanted to bath in it, swim until her fingers got all prunee. A blush crept over her face as he towered over her, the feel of the wispy cloth of his cape tickling her hands and cheek. He looked down at her as she looked up at him and he smiled crookedly at her. She gasped and fell to her knees as he moved away.

"I thought so."

She gasped, Hoggle shifted from foot to foot, wanting to help her, but his fear of Jareth kept him from moving. 

"What did you do to her!" He cried out at last.

"Nothing she didn't want, Hogbreath."

"Sarah?" Hoggle asked, weakly.

"I…I'm f-fine, Hoggle. I was just surprised is all."

Jareth chuckled. He knew that was a lie, she knew he knew that was a lie, but she couldn't say it out loud. Her stomach fluttered like a thousand butterflies had all hatched at once and wanted out. She thought this was over with! She had forgotten about the Underground and the Labyrinth and him!

'Not him…never him…' A treacherous little voice said in her head, 'Remember the dream?'

She did remember the dream and it had been his eyes staring into her, piercing every vulnerable place she had. As if she had been naked, trying to cover up, but he saw everything. 

"Aaaah, Sarah. You shouldn't have even gotten past the outer walls last time. You should have been so lost and alone… and Toby would have been mine. But now… now I have you and I will keep you. Toby can stay in that world of yours. I didn't really want him. He was just a means to an end. Your end."

He chuckled as she staggered to stand, her legs like jelly. Hoggle came and helped her up. She leaned on him as she looked at Jareth.

"Why half your kingdom?"

"You can't just appreciate it can you. I told you it was for your graduation."

"You're lying. You don't just give things."

Jareth turned to her, smiling, her legs felt weak again, "You know me well. To well, maybe. You're right. I'm weary of this place and I figured a little fresh blood would be a nice change…"

Sarah rolled her eyes, "Fine, if you won't tell me the real reason. You were never fair."

Jareth frowned, "Fair? I was always fair to you, Sarah! You asked for Toby to be taken away, I took him. You cowered before me and I was frightening. I reordered time, I turned the world upside down, and I did it all for you! I was exhausted from living up to your expectations of me. Isn't that generous? Wasn't that FAIR!"

"Recycling old speeches too." She said, narrowing her eyes, "You don't SCARE me, Jareth, so stop TRYING!"

He turned, angry and frustrated. Then he turned back to them, the familiar thirteen clock appearing behind him, "Fine. If you want to go home so badly, leaving your friends behind, forgetting them again, then you have to go through the Labyrinth."

"NO!" Sarah cried, "Not again! Just send me home, Jareth. No games, no tricks!"

"You do this my way, Sarah or I will turn you into a statue to enjoy at my castle. Never to leave the Underground." He said, coming up on her again, anger shooting through his mismatched eyes. 

She glared back, she could feel Hoggle shaking like a leaf at her side. His smell made her want to throw up but her anger was fiercer right now and overpowered it. She glared at Jareth as he turned, the clock winding up to thirteen.

"You have thirteen hours, Sarah. Solve the Labyrinth. If you make it to my castle, I will send you home."

"God, can't you be a little more original?" Sarah snapped, anger boiling under her skin. Why can't he just send her home now instead of playing with her like some cat playing with a mouse?

"More original? Well lets see." He grabbed Hoggle and jerked him away from Sarah. He struggled, "NO NO!"

"Hoggle!"

"I'm being a little more original, Sarah." Hoggle froze in his arms and stared at Sarah. Sarah watched in horror as Hoggle seemed frozen in place, like a statue and… he was a statue. Sarah gasped in horror, her hands flying over her mouth.

"That's more like it, Sarah. Thirteen hours. If you don't make it in time, Hoggle stays this way in my garden forever." He seemed to fade from sight and Hoggle did too. She was left standing still, looking down at Hoggle's bug sprayer. She picked it up, tears welling up in her eyes, "Oh Hoggle.. I'm so sorry…"


	4. PART FOUR

The Accidental Return 

PART FOUR

Sarah didn't linger long by the wall, she hurried to the gate and entered the Labyrinth, cursing Jareth all the way. She didn't shed tears for Hoggle because if she remembered anything from her fairytale books, it was good that conquered over evil. She was good. Jareth was evil. She knew that for certain. 

"Well…" She said aloud so she wouldn't feel so lonely, "maybe not EVIL per say, but he's selfish. And he's a bad dresser… well…" She thought back to the outfit he wore only a few moments before, and those she saw him in the last time she was here. "Well… maybe not bad, just different. And hes rude, that's for damn sure. OUCH!" 

She fell backward onto her butt, dust filling the air. She rubbed her nose. She had hit a dead end, but it didn't look like a dead end, the maze seemed to keep going on and on. 

"Of course. Invisible walls. Why didn't I think of that?" She muttered and cussed, standing. She dusted off her rump and put her hands to the wall, feeling her way across it until she found and edge and eased her way past. She brushed the glitter from her hands and looked at where she ended up. Nothing but more maze.

"What the hell is with all the glitter, Jeez." She said as she started off again. The maze went on and on, and thanking the stars she had a watch this time, knew she was a half hour in. "How did I get past this part the last time.." She said as she leaned on the wall to rest.

"'Ello."

Sarah jumped and looked around then she spotted the speaker. 

"OH! Mr. Worm! Hello! I remember you."

"Ahhh, Ello. I'm 'fraid I don't remember you, love. Maybe you knew my Da, Wiliam. I'm David. Come inside for a nice cuppa tea. We can chat a while." It looked like the fuzzy blue worm with the cute red scarf she had met during her first few hours in the Labyrinth the last time, only this one was slightly different. Instead of a red scarf, he had a green one on. The family resemblance was uncanny, though, instead of three tufts of blue hair on top, this one had four. 

"Hello, David. I'm Sarah. I'm sorry, but I'm on a tight schedule. Would you tell me the way through the maze? I'm trying to get to the castle." She bend closer to see and hear him better. He gave her warm smile, "Well, love. Why don' I just show you? Unlike my Da, I wouldn't mind seeing the rest of the Labyrinth. I don't want to just settle down here and have kids. I want to see the world. 'Ang on." He wiggled into his little hole. She heard pots and pans jumbling about loudly. A few clanks and then he came back out with a little cap on and a bag over his… did he have shoulders? How did he put the hat on? She decided not to think about it and opened her hand, letting him wriggled onto it. She settled him on her shoulder for a better view. 

"Ah, it's a good view from 'ere!" He said, settling as she walked. 

"You knew my Da, then?" He asked. She checked a wall and walked on, "Yes. He helped me out the last time I was here. I only spoke to him for a few moments. He was very nice."

"My Da, sometimes a little too nice. Turn here love and go straight through, yes through the wall, it's a trick of the eye, that one. Yah, he was content to stay on the wall with only Eye Lichen and twigs. I always dreamed of green fields and flowers. I love flowers."

She listened to him as she went through the wall and into the hedge maze. She smiled, "That was quicker then last time. I had to go through an oubliette and almost get crushed by some demented street sweepers."

They walked on for a while, David being quiet, she looked over and saw he was asleep. She smiled. It was nice to have someone with her on this quest. She had Hoggle last time and her heart hurt. It was her fault he had been made Prince of the Bog, and that he was now stone. She knew he was probably content to be alone and a coward and then she had to enter his life and mess it all up. She vowed to help Hoggle and make Jareth give him a better position. The Bog was no place for her friend. She had been there and it was really disgusting. She didn't understand how Sir Didymus had lived there for so long. 

She came to the spot where she had met Ludo. She smiled at the memory, wondering where he was at the moment. Maybe she would see him while she was here. She hoped so. He was a beast, but a kind and friendly beast and his rock calling had gotten them out of several nasty scrapes. She tried a door at this point and opened it slowly, unsure what would be on the other side. More maze. She poked David awake, "David?"

'Wot, wot? Wotcher… Oh. Sarah. Where are we?" He blinked sleepily around at their surroundings, "Ah ah… Hedge maze. Ok… lets seee… Yes, This door will lead us to the bog."

"Excellent! We can cut through there and get to the castle! This is a piece of cake." She said, smiling as they passed through the door, and fell through the trap door. She screamed and David screamed as they fell into the Helping Hands. They gripped and pulled and yanked but slowly stopped her. She panted for a second, repositioned herself so the hands were no longer gripping places no hands should grip. It reminded her of a very ex boyfriend that had once turned to his friends and loudly proclaimed, "I'm tapping that." And gripped her ass. She slugged him and they broke up shortly after. 

"Well here we are, back to a place I would sooner yank my eyes out then have to face." She growled.

"Face? Faaace?" The hands around her seemed to laugh as several pairs near her formed a face, "She fell for us, didn't she!" There was more laughing.

"Come on guys, I'm in a hurry. Send me up, will you?"

"In no mood for fun?" Another face said, forming behind her so she had to twist to see it. David glared at them, "'Elping 'ands my arse. Send me and the lady back UP!" 

"Up, he says up." 

"UP UP UP!"

"UP!"

"UP! UP!"

"The worm said…up." The last voice said. Sarah froze. That was no Helping Hands voice. That was Jareth, "WHAT! NO! JARETH!" She squealed as the hands dragged her up. They shoved her back up into the trap door into a different room then where she fell from. It was a dungeon but it had windows so it wasn't an oubliette. David cussed, "Bleeding 'ell. Sarah, I am sorry. I thought that was the right door."

"It probably was David. Don't worry about it. The goblin King never fights fair… YOU HEAR THAT JARETH! YOU NEVER FIGHT FAIR!" She stomped her foot in frustration and went to the window, "Can you see where we are?"

She set David on the window sill and then went to look around herself. The room was old, had not been used for years. It was circular, about 15 feet in diameter. There was a pile of furs in what could be called a corner that were musty, probably some kind of bed for the prisoner. In the middle of the floor was the trapdoor they came in. She tried pulling on it, but it wouldn't budge. She went back to David as he turned, "Well. We're in a tower, but not at the castle. We're more likely still in the hedge maze."

"Perfect. I only have 10 hours left or I'm stuck here and Hoggle a lawn jockey forever."

"Don't worry, Sarah. We'll get out."

"Yah, but on our terms or when Jareth feels like it… Wait.. What…" She turned, startled as the pile of fur started to move. She pressed her back to the wall and David crawled closer to her. The fur shook out one shaggy arm and stood up, turning slowly on leathery feet. His horns were longer then she remembered, but it was the same friendly face. 

"Saaaaawwwaaaa?" It growled.

"LUDO!" She cried happily and threw herself on him, hugging him fiercely. 


	5. PART FIVE

The Accidental Return

PART FIVE

Sarah stepped back from the shaggy walking rug and smiled up at him, "Ludo!"

"Luuudo missssses Saaaaawwwaaaaa." His watery eyes blinked at her and picked her up to hug her again. She gasped and hugged him, "Ok, Ludo, Sarah can't…breath…!"

"Sooooowwwy." She dropped her and she staggered back, gasping for breath. She composed herself and grinned, "I missed you too Ludo. Why are you in this dungeon?"

Ludo looked around, a little confused, "Duuuungeooon? Ludo sleeeeeping."

Sarah looked confused too, "Well, I saw that, but did Jareth trap you here? Did you do something to make him mad? Why are you in jail?"

"Jaaail? Noooo jaaail. Sleeeping." He shuffled to the trap door in the floor and jerked it open, "Luuudo hooooome."

Surprised, Sarah looked over at David. David grinned, at least Sarah thought he grinned. She went to collect him from the window sill, "Well," The little worm said, "Another ally for you, Sarah."

"He was an ally before. He saved my skin more then once." She smiled at the memories.

Ludo had dropped through the trap door and Sarah followed, below the door were wide stone steps. Everything was made of stone here, she saw as she followed Ludo. It was a tower, but an older one that was crumbling in some places and overgrown with vines. She stopped to look at some of the flowers that grew, she could see that two totally different kinds of flowers grew on one vine.

"Only in the Underground," she murmured.

The staircase brought them to the ground level where Ludo pulled some kind of fruit off a vine and offered it to Sarah. It wasn't until she saw it she didn't realize how hungry she was. She took the fruit, which looked like an apple, sniffled it and let David see it, "Is this safe, David?"

"Sure. That's an applmelon."

Sarah looked surprised and bit into it. She had seen Ludo pick it so it couldn't be one of those tricky peaches like she had last time. Red juice ran down her chin as she leaned over, surprised. So many surprised, new and old here in the Underground, she thought as she looked at the applmelon. The outside looked like a red delicious apple, but the inside looked and tasted like watermelon, complete with black seeds. She finished it quickly, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand, "That was really good, Ludo! Thank you!"

"Weeeelcome, Saaawwwaaa."

"Oooh, sorry, Ludo, this is David. He's a new friend." She held out David to Ludo. Ludo leaned over David to get a better look at him.

"'Ello, Ludo, my chap. May I 'ave one of those delightful applmelons?"

"Suuure… neeew friiiiiieeeeeennnnd." He chose a smaller fruit and set it on a large boulder that looked like a table. Sarah set David down and he wiggled to it, starting in on the fruit. Sarah sat down on a rock, resting her weary feet. She looked around. The base of the tower was larger then Ludo's bedroom, it was about 30 feet is diameter. The vines grew all over the wall like some kind of weird green wallpaper. There were rocks everywhere; big ones, small ones, some as big as her head. What did she expect from a beast that could call the very rocks? Ludo handed her another fruit that looked like a pear, but when she bit into it, it was soft and tangy like a banana. "Pearanana." She giggled, enjoying it. Ludo chuckled too, but unsure why. He just liked to laugh.

"Saaawwah liiike?"

"Yes! Very much, Ludo, thank you."

"BROTHER!" Someone called from outside, "Come forth and let us away! There is much questing to be done this day!" There was a bark and Sarah could hear the caller say more quietly, "I rhymed, I am a poet and I didn't know it. Hahaha."

Sarah laughed, she knew that voice. It would seem that good luck was on her side. Jareth meant to trap her in a dungeon and she ends up meeting old friends.

She picked up David, who seemed a little fatter now, placing him on her shoulder, and went outside through a large stone archway. Sir Didymus, the little fox goblin that had guarded a stone bridge in the Bog of Eternal Stench, sat on a large black boarhound who slobbered all over the ground he laid on. Other then change of steed, Sir Didymus looked the same. Sarah grinned wide as the fox goblin saw her, "My LADY!"

She kneeled by the boarhound and hugged Sir Didymus, "Hello Sir Didymus."

"My lady, I never expected to see you here again, after our brave adventure and the crushing defeat of the King. Has that vile worm taken your brother again, fore if you have need of me, I shall fight for the right! I shall protect you into death! I shall…shall…"

"Bbbbeeee brrraaaaavvve."

"YES! Well said, brother, well said!" Didymus wuffed as the boarhound turned over, throwing Didymus to the ground. He lay there stunned for a moment and then stood, "Bad Lancelot! BAD! Oh it's so hard to train a good steed these days." He brushed himself off as Sarah looked down at the boarhound, "Didymus, what happened to Ambrosius?" She liked his steed, her own dog, Merlin had died the year before and it broke her heart. She hoped Ambrosius was ok.

"He was gallant and brave a steed as a knight could have…" Didymus said as he tried to remount Lancelot, "But time came for him to be put to pasture. He's got quite a large family now. Several pups to watch over and a beautiful wife."

Sarah covered a grin, her worry evaporating. She remembered Ambrosius running at every fight and throwing Didymium a couple times to go hide. At least he was alive and seemingly very well.

"Lancelot! UP! For heaven's sake, will you please. We need to get going." The boarhound gave Didymium a lazy eye and woofed, standing. Didymus, coming only to the dog's chin, growled. Sarah scooped him up and put him to rights on his steed. Didymus was still for a second and this drew his little scepter sword and brandished it wildly, "ONWARD TO ADVENTURE!" He paused and looked at Sarah, "Adventure?"

"Well… I'm trying to get to the castle… again." She sighed, aggravated, "Jareth has me trapped here, saying he would send me home if I played his game."

"'E's a bloody big git, if I 'ave ever seen one." David put in. Didymus gave the worm a once over, "Identify yourself, sir."

"Wotcher, names David. Pleased to meecha."

Didymus blinked and thin settled back, "The pleasure is mine, friend. I am Sir Didymus and this is my steed, Lancelot. My brother in arms I see you have met."

"Neeeew friiiiiend." Ludo said, grinning, his ears wiggling like a cow's would.

"Well, my Lady, let us away! The castle is not far from here. Come Lancelot! AWAY!" The boarhound woofed and trotted slowly ahead of the group. Ludo lumbered after them and Sarah kept pace with Ludo.

Sir Didymus started in a song about adventure and drinking too much beer, singing for about half an hour until they came out of the forest and into a vast meadow. There was no sun, but the sky was brought enough with pink puffy clouds. A slight wind rippled the grass, somewhat like water.

"Ah, the Ocean of Grass. I remember summering here when I was but a squire! We will have to take the ferry to cross." Didymus said as he dismounted. He started down the way, walking the boarder of open ground between the forest and the grass. Sarah could see a building down a ways. Sarah, confused, looking back out to the grassy meadow, "It's just grass, why can't we just walk?"

David gasped, "Sarah, don't!"

She started forward, stepping into the grass and immediately went under. It was as if she stepped into thin air then dropped off a cliff into freezing cold water. She came back up, gasping for air, clawing at anything to keep her afloat. Ludo grabbed her and held her, setting her on land. Her breath was heavy as she leaned on Ludo, "F…ferry it is."

David cussed loudly, "If you're gonna do stupid stuff like that, I'm riding with the fox. Ludo, be a chap. There's a good man." Ludo gently placed the worm on the head of Lancelot. Sarah looked down at her clothes, she wasn't wet, just very dusty. She started to brushed the dust from her clothes, "I don't get it."

"Nothing is what it seems in the Underground." David said, "This is the Ocean of Grass, on the other side is a beach where the goblins like to sun themselves or fish for Grassfish and Diarks"

Didymus was coming back, "Lady Chance is with us, the ferry leaves in but half an hour. Come, lets us away. Ah, I see I have a riding companion."

"Aye, Sarah tried to drown me," David quipped.

"Lady Sarah, I am surprised! This young man has done nothing to harm you?"

"Nah, not like that, Didymus," David said, "She didn't know about the Ocean."

"Ah, I see, I see. Well, she is allowed a mistake here and there. She has not seen all the Underground." He slung his leg around Lancelot and pulled himself into sitting position.

They walked down to the ferry landing as the ferry was just docking from a trip across the Ocean. Sarah was surprised to see how clean it was. The goblin didn't look too happy about it, he himself wore white, which he looked out of place in. His face was shiny pink and he kept touching his face, wincing. The boat was decorated in an odd assortment of ribbons and flowers.

"We'll be leavin' soon." The disgruntled goblins said, going about getting ready for another journey. David looked at the goblin, "Why so cheerful?" His tone was a little more sarcastic then Sarah had heard from the worm before.

"Ah," The ferry goblin said, "I had to clean up extra extra good, we all have. I hate this…cleeeean. It feels wrong." He shuttered, "But when the King gives an order, whoo boy, you better obey."

"Why the cleanness? He doesn't usually care about how you goblins look." Sarah said, from the rusty mismatched everything of the goblins she had seen before, that was her impression. Jareth only seemed to care how he looked.

"Well, little lady, you must not have heard, his Highness is getting married to the Queen of the Fairies."

Sarah, hearing this, tripped and fell overboard off the ferry. Ludo had to fish her out and was dusting her off as she stared at the ferry driver in disbelief, "He's getting MARRIED!?"


	6. PART SIX

The Accidental Return

PART SIX

"Married?" Sarah whispered, staring at the little goblin as he turned and went about preparing for the ferry to cross the Ocean of Grass to the Goblin City. She clutched the rail, unsteady. Ludo stayed by her incase she fell overboard again.

"Yup," said the little man as he worked, "Been in the works for a few months now. Maybe years, I dunno. I just know that His Majastyhas had us hoppin' like rabbits to get ready." He sounded a little disgruntled at the last part. "She even visited the city a while back. I just heard this from a friend. It's one of those arranged marriages. His Highness has been a wreck. Hasn't been out of the castle, hasn't sang or did much since that Queenie left."

Sarah turned at this, confused. "I 'aven't 'eard a lick of this." David said from the rail. Sir Didymus gave Lancelot the stink eye as his steed stuck his head through the slats in the rail to be sick. Didymus made a tutting sound and then turned to join in the conversation, "I have heard not of the nuptials of the Goblin King. Then again, since our last encounter, my Brother and I have avoided the Goblin City."

"Kiiiiiing meeeeeean…" Ludo said. Sarah patted him, a twinge of guilt building in her chest. Jareth had been mean to her friends because of her. She turned back to the rail to overlook the Ocean. It was a vast flow of honey colored grass. Like Little House on the Prairie, Sarah thought. In the distance, she saw the gleam of the Goblin City. It sparkled and shone in the sunlight. She squinted, trying to make out the castle.

So what if he got married, what did she care? He was just an annoying tormenting pain in the ass. He kidnapped her baby brother… _Because you asked him to…_ Making her run the Labyrinth like a rat in a maze…_You never would have met Hoggle, Ludo, Didymus, or David… _Popping up in unwelcome, making her quest harder then it already was…He was never fair…_You say that so often. I wonder what your basis for comparison is._

That last thing made her feel weak. That was what he had said when she had escaped the oubliette. Her little voice was being a traitor. "Why am I here…" She whispered.

The ferry got underway and they rode in silence. Ludo fell asleep sitting against the rail, making it creak. Lancelot curled up next to him and David made a little nest on top of Ludo's head. Sarah stood at the rail, where she had stood when they had left the landing. She was worried, they wasted an hour with this trip, but she had a good eight hours left to go. Going directly to the city with time to spare was a miracle. She went to sit by Ludo, feeling chilly, and saw that the sun was setting. Had she spent the night in the Labyrinth before?

Suddenly the ferry came to a jerking stop. She leaned up as the ferry captain appeared, "Sorry miss, just an engine. Nothing to worry about." He lifted two doors in the floor of ferry. Sarah could see several treadmills that turned the large back paddle of the ferry. On them panted small goblins, one of the treadmills was empty. Two goblins came from where the captain was, went down, and carried a goblin up that looked like he had had enough. She leaned back on Ludo, seeing Didymus had shifted so he looked at her from his place by Ludo.

"My Lady, I could not help but notice the distress you were in at the news of His Highness's coming nuptials."

Sarah looked at the little fox goblin and then down at her hands twined in Ludo's shaggy hair, "I… I was just mad. He's very frustrating. He plays cat and mouse with me as he plans his wedding… I don't like my life being turned inside out for some game."

Didymus nodded, "It is a coward's game, I agree. I shall do all in my power to protect you, My Lad-"

Didymus's sentence was cut off by the rocking of the ferry. Sarah thought it was fixed but when she stood, she knew it wasn't. It rocked again, more violently as the captain came up out of the engine room. He scanned the Ocean over the rail and then gasped, jumping, "OH! We've got a GRALE! GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALE!"

"What the hell is a Grale?!" Sarah said, trying to keep her balance as the ferry tipped violently side to side.

"A Grass Whale!" David said, waking up. As he shouted this, something very big and green breached the grass on one side of the ferry. Sarah reached the rail and clung to it as she watched as a large orca-like looking wale in different shades of green scales flew through the air and came crashing down back into the grass, disappearing under it.

"Scaaaaaared!" Ludo said as he flatted out over the floor of the ferry. Lancelot looked as if he tried to hide under Ludo.

"Be brave my Brother! I shall tame this beast!" Didymus shouted as he jumped onto the rail, brandishing his sword scepter. The ferry rocked again and Sarah caught him and fell back onto Ludo. Ludo caught her as the ferry rocked again and finally did what it had threatened to do, tipped over. Sarah screamed, holding onto Didymus as they went into the grass. It was like falling through warm suffocating air. She felt Ludo's grasp around her and they broke the air, several yards from the overturned ferry. Ludo waved his free air as Didymus woofed wildly, cursing and sputtering. Lancelot was dog paddling around them as Ludo went under again, Didymus swung his sword scepter too wildly and hit Sarah just above her left eye. She gasped, her eyes rolling back and her grasp going limp.


	7. PART SEVEN

The Accidental Return

PART SEVEN

She was slow to wake but when she was, she knew something was wrong. The light was wrong, the feeling of her bed was wrong, and there was this smell… like the way her grandmother's closet smelled. Mothballs and musty fur. She opened her eyes slowly, wincing as light needled her eyes. She closed her eyes again as she heard a yipping voice, "OH MY LADY! You're alright, thank the stars."

"Is she awake?" Came another voice, thick with English accent and concern, "Is she ok?"

"Saaaawaaaaahhhh…" Ludo said softly.

She knew she had not been dreaming now. She opened her eyes again and looked around. Ludo cradled her like a baby, that was where the smell came from. They were in a cave, it was only a small pocket of a cave, but it had stalagmites growing like small trees. There was a fire nestled in a ring of stones, David was sitting on one of these stones, looking at Ludo and her. She could see worry on his tiny face. Sir Didymus was hanging over one of Ludo's shoulders, looking at her. Lancelot lay by the fire, exposing his belly to it. Sarah crawled out of Ludo's arms and stretched, "I'm fine, just a headache."

"My lady, I vow my eternal life to you. I was the cause of your pain in my exuberant haste to dispatch the beast, I… hit you…"

"It's ok, Didymus, it was an accident. Where are we?" She turned to the cave mouth and saw it… snow. She ran to the mouth of the cave, ignoring the bitter cold and gasped. Outside was a winter wonderland, as if she had been plucked from the Underground and put in the middle of the Alps. It was snowing lightly but as she watched, it became heavier and darker. She staggered back inside and sat with a thud next to Ludo.

"I don't understand, how could we have gotten here? We were on the Ocean of Grass… and then… snow?" She put her head in her hands. "David, where are we?"

"Well, love, I was 'aving a look at my maps and it would seem we're in The Deep Freeze. Not many goblins come 'ere because they prefer to be warm."

"How far is the Deep Freeze from the city?"

David looked a little sheepish, "It's… a three day journey."

Sarah's mouth fell open, "WHAT! Three days! How… how did we get so far?!" She buried her face in Ludo's fur. How would she get home? What would happen to Hoggle? And the look on Jareth's face when he knew he won… She wanted to cry, scream, and throw up all at the same time. The others were quiet. They didn't want to lose Sarah but they knew she wanted to go home to her school, friends, and family.

She found she really was crying but it wasn't for what she thought. She was crying for Jareth. Did he do this? Did he want her so badly he would cheat so extremely? She would never make the time frame. She wiped her eyes, looking at her watch. Only… four hours! She moaned and put her head back in Ludo's fur. She took a deep breath, Ludo's musk clearing her head a little and she leaned back, standing.

"Well…" She sighed, "No use crying over it any longer. There's nothing we can do except go to the city."

"What about the deadline, My Lady?" Didymus asked.

"That's pretty much ruined now, isn't it? If we can make it back to the city, maybe I can make a new bargain with Jareth for Hoggle. I… I might as well face it… I'm not going home…"

"We'll stay with you, Sarah." David said.

"Luuudoooo staaaaayyyy."

Sarah smiled sadly at her friends. Didymus trotted to Sarah, mounted on Lancelot, "My Lady, I shall stay with you until the end of time itself."

"Time itself is almost up." Said a smug voice from the mouth of the cave.

Sarah turned to see Jareth standing there, his knowing smirk pulling at his mouth. For a moment, Sarah thought, how did he get an English accent in the Underground? But that though was chased away when she saw what he was wearing. He had taken her comment about recycled outfits to heart.

Jareth was dressed for snow, he wore all white, white tight pants, white knee high boots and a white fur cloak with a high collar. The cloak was clasped over his bare chest with a gold broach. His hair was streaked with gold glitter. He stepped further into the cave, looking around, "What charming accommodations."

"You have some nerve showing up here," Sarah said, hands on her hips.

"Nerve?" Jareth said, stopping, looking at her innocently.

"You know what I mean. I was close and you upset the ferry and almost killed us!"

"Aaah, Sarah… I may have a little laugh at the pain of others but never enough to cause death…" His smile was gone now.

"You're a lair, a cheater, as well as extremely unfair. Three days? This is worse then the PEACH!" She poked him viciously in the chest. He grabbed her wrist, pulling her closer, "I am not a liar." She looked up into his mismatched eyes. They were full of something an emotion she didn't recognize. Her own searching eyes looked into his, confused.

Sir Didymus growled, "Unhand her, fiend!"

Jarth looked at Didymus as if he were a bug. He sneered and looked at Sarah, letting her go. She stumbled back he said, "Our little…contest… was progressing nicely until an outside… annoyance… joined the game."

"Annoyance? What do you mean?"

Jareth waved a hand as if waving the question away. Didymus growled again, "She asked you a question, sir!"

Jareth held out a hand, a crystal rolled into his palm as Didymus charged. There was a boom as Jareth threw the crystal orb down onto the stone floor and the cave filled with smoke. Sarah coughed wildly, waved her hands frantically, trying to clear the smoke from her vision, "Didymus! Ludo?! David!"

The smoke cleared revealing she was in the forest. It was so dark, she could barely see. "David! LUDO! Didymus?!"

"Looking for this?" Jareth leaned against a tree. Fireflies lit the clearing he was in like candlelight. He wore his maroon leather jacket and white shirt underneath. An oldie but a goodie. He held up a crystal which was a little bigger then his usual crystals. It looked almost like…

"A snow globe?" She came closer, taking the globe from his gloved hand and looking inside. Inside was Sir Didymus on Lancelot. He stood next to a tiny replica of the goblin castle. She could tell he was yapping loudly but she couldn't hear it. Jareth took the globe and shook it, laughing as snow fell on Didymus.

"What did you do!" Sarah gasped.

"Just took care of an annoyance."

"Like the one that tried to take care of me?!"

"I brought you back to your path, didn't I?" He sneered, throwing the globe up. It disappeared into the shadows. Sarah followed it's progression and then looked back to Jareth, but he was gone. Sarah checked her watch with the glow in the dark feature. "Three hours…" She sighed and started forward.

She stopped again when she thought she heard a sound. She looked to her left and saw a glowing through the trees and followed it. She stopped just at the edge of another clearing. In the center was a roaring bonfire and around it danced… The Fire Gang.

"Oh CRAP…" Sarah whispered and turned around, trying to sneak away,

"HEY!" Said one of the Fierys. "Its that cheater!"

"The one that's head doesn't come off?"

"Yah it IS her!"

A head flew past her and she squeaked, turning to run. She stumbled, but caught herself. She felt hands brush her arms and calls for her stop. A head flew past again as her hair caught in branches and twigs. She screamed as she ran into large and soft, "Saaaawwwaaaaahhhh."

"LUDO!"

Ludo turned as the Fire Gang appeared. He called loudly, his loud moan/ growl filling the air and seemed to grind at it. Suddenly, the ground shook and boulders the size of Sarah rolled out of the trees and chased the gang away. Sarah panted, leaning on Ludo, "Oh thank GOD!" She said.

"Saaaawwwwaaaahhhhh…"

"Sarah?" David peeked over Ludo's shoulder, "Sarah, LOVE! Oh thank 'eavens you're alright. After Jareth showed up, I thought we were doomed. Do you know what 'appened to Didymus?"

"Jareth took him, like Hoggle."

"He's slowly dwindling us down. 'E really doesn't want you to succeed, love."

Sarah bit her lip, thinking. If that were true… he wouldn't have brought them back here. She kept that thought to herself.

"Come on. We don't have much time left…"


	8. PART EIGHT

The Accidental Return

PART EIGHT

They pretty much ran outright, Ludo proved he could lumber along behind Sarah as they reached the limits of the Goblin city. She had just an hour left. She was worried what would happen when she returned home, would hours have passed? Would she wake up in the hospital? Another thought leapt into her head, was Hoggle ok? How did Didymus fair in the globe? Her thoughts had to stop because they came to the great gate of the city. It was bigger then she remember, actually, this seemed wholly different then she remember. They went into the city, unchallenged and wandered deeply to the heart of the city.

"What happened?"

The city had been a hap-hazard collection of stone houses, rusty metal weathervanes, and anything else that the goblins could find to make their tiny homes. Now, it was a clean and neat city of cobble stones, orderly houses with even roofs and matching chimneys. It was as they walked into the middle of a mini 19th century London. To make it worse, everything was decorated in ribbons and flowers. There was also not a goblin to be found. Sarah looked up at the castle with a growing sense of horror.

"Oh no… The wedding… It's today!"

"How… how can you be certain?" David asked from Ludo's head.

"Look at the city, its empty! We have to get to the castle. Why did he bring me here if he was getting married!" She started to race through the winding alleyways. Ludo followed, but had a harder time fitting in some narrow alleys.

She came to the castle's steps and raced up them. At the large front doors, two guards in heavy metal blocked her path,

"HALT!"

"Yah! Halt!"

"WHO GOES?"

"Yah… who goes!"

"I don't have TIME for this!" She kicked one of the guards, causing him to fall sideways into the other. As they argued and tried to untangle themselves, she raced by them as Ludo came up the steps,

"SARAH! WAIT!" David called.

Besides the guards at the front doors, she ran into no one. There was no one. She ran down hallways until she came into the familiar throne room. It was strung with garlands and banners and ribbons. Then she saw it, the clock. That cruel thirteen numbered clock. The hands almost came together.

"JARETH!" She cried. She went from the throne room up the stairs to what she thought was the room with all the stairs like the M.C. Escher illustration. Instead she found a hallway of mirrors. As she walked forward, her reflection split into a hundred more Sarahs. She stopped. Another maze. A labyrinth of mirrors. Unfair until the end, she thought bitterly. She kept walking, careful not to run into a mirror, she didn't want to be cut to ribbons.

"And then they could decorate the wedding cake with me." She whispered.

"Wedding cake, I notice he isn't marrying you. Who would want you? You're so plain… So ugly."

Sarah gasped, turning to one of her reflections. It had its hands on its hips, staring at her with ugly hate. She didn't know that face that stared back at her.

"That's right, gasp as you realize he only brought you here to finish what he started three years ago. You were the only one that got away and he couldn't stand it." Another Sarah turned to face her, more hate staring coldly at the real Sarah.

Sarah back up, alarmed. This was new and different and cruel. In the past, Jareth had always bantered at her, always harmlessly teasing her. This was… beyond what she imagined. Maybe it was her new, older eyes, she really saw who he really was. She was older now, she was a woman, not a little girl with fantasies of romance and adventure. She was cool, thoughtful, not so quick to judge.

As she touched a mirror cold hands gripped her wrists, turning her. A cruel mirror Sarah held her and started pulling, "Come to us, because he will never accept you. We know who you really are, you selfish girl. Always trapped in a fantasy world. You never changed, Sarah. Come to us… Leave Jareth…"

Sarah fought, pulling, leave Jareth? She wasn't just leaving Jareth, she was leaving Hoggle, Ludo, Didymus, David, her dad, and Toby…

Toby, who had allowed her passage into this place in the first place. In a childish tantrum, she had wished her brother away and The Goblin King came for him. She asked and he obeyed. She cowered before him and he was frightening. He did as she expected. But that was then….this was now.

"Now… NOW! I AM NOT THE SAME GIRL!" She jerked her hands away and turned, using her momentum, shattered a mirror. That started a chain reaction and the hallway seemed to explode. She held her arms up in front of her face, feeling shards of glass cut her hands and cheeks. And then she was falling. She shrieked as she landed on the hard ground, falling to her side. She felt the stone floor reverberating through her legs making her legs sore.

She moaned and rolled onto her back. She lay there for a moment, shaking and then sat up slowly. This time, her run through the Labyrinth might really kill her. She almost sneered at the thought when she noticed the woman before her. Sarah gasped and had to scoot back in surprise.

In this new space, the darkness pressed around them, but the new woman seemed to make her own light. They were floating on a block of stone in a black void. The woman looked down at Sarah like a bird looking at a worm. Sarah couldn't help but think she was the most beautiful woman she had ever seen. Her golden hair grew in waves down to her waist, long pointed ears peaked through that golden hair. Her face was oval shaped and white as cream, her eyes crystal blue and framed with long feathery lashes. She wore what looked like a crystal ringlet across her forehead. Her dress was simple, a flowing white gown that his her shape and hands.

Sarah stood slowly, her own clothes were dirty and torn, blood spotted her sleeves and her front from fresh wounds. Her hair was a rat's nest that glittered with glass dust. She really felt ugly next to this woman and as if the woman knew this, she smiled coldly,

"So you are the one who holds my soon-to-be-husband's heart."


	9. PART NINE

The Accidental Return

PART NINE

Sarah gasped at the harshness in the woman's voice and the sudden ugliness that appeared across her face. Sarah took a step back, cautious. This woman would never want to be friends. Jareth had mentioned an annoyance earlier, when they talked about the ferry. This had to be that annoyance.

"You tried to kill me and my friends." Sarah said in a rasping voice, hoarse from screaming.

The woman almost sneered, but she didn't seem the type that would. Her hands appeared out of the flowing liquid of the cloth that made up her gown and started clapping, "As if I didn't think you could have gotten any more pathetic…" She dropped her hands and they disappeared once again in her gown.

Sarah looked for a chance to escape. There was none, this was worse then an oubliette. It was just a chunk of rock floating in an empty void.

"Do not bother," The Queen said, "You, a mere human being, could not fathom the energy and magic it takes to get out of this place. King Jareth could not even enter here. This is my own…secret…place." She smiled. Sarah couldn't help but think of this woman like some great snake that would gobble her up at any second.

"Why…"

"Why am I trying to kill you? I would think that was painfully obvious, my dear." She snapped her fingers and a mirror rose from the stone. Sarah gasped as she saw that in it wasn't her reflection, but Jareth's. Behind him was the stare room where she encountered him before getting Toby back. Yes, it was like a little movie, which focused on Jareth. She saw herself in the background, running, trying to find Toby. She could see he was singing. The Queen snapped her fingers and Sarah could hear it echoing around her,

"…I move the stars for no one… You've run so long, you've run so far. Your eyes can be so cruel. Just as I can be so cruel… Ooooh, I do believe in you…Yes I do!… Live without the sunlight. Love without your heart beat…"

Sarah moved closer, watching and as he finished his song, she saw it.

"I…I can't live.. within you…"

That look in his eyes… she felt her heart breaking. How had she done that, how could she have done that? She was just a kid then, no more then 16... Hell, she wasn't 16 yet! She was 15!! She didn't know what love was! Even now, at almost an adult, moving out into the real world, maybe she still didn't.

A hand went to her mouth as she tried to stifle a sob. The Queen waved a hand and the mirror disappeared, Sarah could see her once more. The Queen's face was stony now, her mouth set.

"This man, that I am going to marry, still harbors feelings for you, I have recently come to find. That can not be tolerated. It was fine when you were in the Aboveground, for some reason you came back."

"I thought he brought me back…" Sarah whispered.

"Brought you back? Don't make me laugh. He couldn't even if he wanted to."

Sarah, her heart and head even more confused now, couldn't speak. She could only shake her head, a look of horror growing on her face.

"You did not know this? I grow more tired of your stupidity every second." The Queen sighed, "King Jareth's magic only allows him to bring the summoner into the Underground and send them back once they fail or succeed in solving the Labyrinth. They can never return to the Underground by his means. The true job of being the Goblin King, besides ruling the whole of the Underground. Usually it's no problem, he brings a girl who calls him to the Labyrinth, she fails to solve it, he takes his prize and send her home, but YOU…" She did sneer this time, in disgust, "You… somehow you were special. He offered you things that no one had been offered… But you refused him and he sent you back. Now… somehow… you returned."

Sarah shook, "Then…then send me back, I'll forget about this place again and you… you can…have…" She couldn't quite say it. She didn't want this cruel woman to have Jareth. Sarah wanted him for herself, she knew that now.

"I would… if I had the means… but I don't. So I will just have to dispatch you some other way. I can't just kill you outright… The magic of this place forbids me from doing it. I am bound by the laws of the Underground…" The Queen came closer to Sarah, taking her hands. Sarah tried to struggled, but she felt her energy drain away as the Queen touched her. Sarah felt limp as the Queen supported her, "No… I have to send you away and hope. First…a spell." She placed her pink lips to Sarah's cheek and Sarah cried out weakly. It burned! She struggled and was pushed back. She fell to the ground, crying from pain, scrubbing at the place on her face where the Queen's lips had touched her. Like the little fairies that Hoggle had sprayed, this fairy had venom too.

The Queen raised a hand and a mirror formed under Sarah. Sarah screamed as she started to sink into it. "Don't worry my dear," The Queen said coldly, "You'll like living in the Underground. You'll fit right in…or die trying. I hope for the die part…"


	10. PART TEN

The Accidental Return

PART TEN

Sarah sat up in a field of poppies, or what she thought were poppies and looked around. She was tired of waking up in strange places, of magical folk transporting her to different places, being sore, hungry, tired… "ARG!" For God sake she just wanted to go home! Was that too much to ask? Now she had a lot to think about: Jareth hadn't brought her? And he couldn't send her back… and that bitch! That bitch tried to kill her!

"For the LOVE!" She cried out, frustrated. She jumped up and started stomping around, stomping the red flowers down, yellow pollen puffing up in the air and coating her already ripped and bloody clothes. She got a better look around, she was on a hillside, high up on a mountain side from her judgment. She couldn't see any forest up above her, she could see snow on the mountain top. She felt like she was in 'the Sound of Music.'

"Where's a friggen Von Trapp when you need 'em?" She said as she picked her way towards the bottom of the hill. She needed to find out where she was. She stopped, what about Jareth? She bit her lip, thinking. Maybe he would want to help her or maybe he wouldn't. After what she had seen in the mirror, she couldn't blame him if he never wanted to see her again. He was probably just playing with her when he saw she had returned. He knew he couldn't send her back.

"But why didn't he just leave you in the Deep Freeze then?" That little voice in her head said.

"I… don't know." Sarah said out loud. Well, it was worth a shot.

"JARETH!" She shouted and then regretted it. Pain flared on her face making her go to her knees. She closed her eyes in extreme agony until it gradually subsided. Panting, she lay on her back in the poppies.

"What the…"

The spell. That bitch had said she was casting a spell, that was probably it. To keep her from calling Jareth. Like a rat who took the wrong cheese got shocked, if she tried to call for Jareth, she would get a stabbing pain through the head. Greeeeat.

"GREAT! JUST GREAT! I'm God knows WHERE! The few people I trust are GOD knows how far away. Stupid…bitch…bastard…mullet hair…" She jumped up and down on the poppies until she fell over, panting. Well, she felt a little better. Dispersing all the anger made her head clearer. She stood up again, taking in her surroundings. She saw a wisp of smoke down the mountain side and she headed towards that. It was a house and they could tell her where she was.

* * *

Jareth sat on his throne, his legs up on one arm his back resting on the other, one hand over his eyes and his riding crop tapping on his boot heel. Sarah had disappeared, his… wife-to-be… had been locked in her room and the wedding postponed. He sighed, the dull roar of his goblins laughing, yelling, chickens clucking, metal grinding on metal and just general goblin antics. He stood, leaving the throne room and went up through the archway to the room where he had led her to many years before.

"It wasn't that long ago…" he said out loud in his soft English accent. He walked up and down and upside-down and side, just…walking and remembering. Finally he came out through an archway onto a balcony, overlooking the Labyrinth and the whole of his lands. The sun was climbing up into the sky as he leaned on the balcony. She had put a spell on Sarah, he thought, making him unable to find her. He should have just brought her back to the castle instead of having fun with her. In the first place, how had she come back? He didn't bring her and no one else in the Underground could have. He was the most magical being in the Underground. Unless…

He rolled his hands up and a crystal rolled out of nowhere, across the back of his gloved hand and come to rest on his fingertips. He turned it to see inside. In the crystal stood Sarah, facing him as she did three years ago,

"Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered, I have fought my way here to the castle beyond the Goblin City to take back the child that you have stolen, for my will is as strong as yours, and my kingdom is as great…"

"My will is as strong as yours…" Jareth whispered, watching her soft lips as she uttered the words. He closed his eyes and threw the crystal out over the balcony as hard as he could, more in frustration then anger. He knew now what had happened and if… she… found out, she would surely try to kill Sarah. More so then she already had. He gripped the stone rail and bowed his head, the familiar pain sweeping over him. He damned Sarah for this pain, this longing. He had been content to take the children offered to him, to rule his kingdom without issue.

"No one could blame you… for walking away." He said at last. He had to find her, quickly. He turned and was back in the throne room, "LISTEN!" He cried out.

The whole room became still, his goblins freezing in mid motion to listen to him.

"I want every one of you out into the Underground, we have to find the girl." His goblins looked at each other and then him, "Well? GO! Anyone you find, tell them to search too. I want her found and brought here!"

He knew she was probably weeks away from here, but if he had his goblins out searching, he could follow them with his magic even if he couldn't use it to find her.

He grabbed two of the largest goblins, "You two, stay here and guard the queen. If she tries to escape, cut her feet off." He turned and turned into a white barn owl, flying for the nearest window.


	11. PART ELEVEN

The Accidental Return

PART ELEVEN

Sarah panted, leaning on a tree. She reveled in the shade, having walked for three hours in the glaring sunshine. She could feel the sunburn boiling under her skin. She stopped at what looked like a little farm. Little being an understatement. She felt like a giant! The barn looked like a dog house, the farm house was a doll house! She was afraid to even venture closer, she might step on a horse, which looked like little toys. The trees looked normal enough, The garden at the back of the house was sewn with normal sized vegetables, though the garden was little, as if just two of each vegetable had been planted. She sat down in the soft grass, resting her back against the tree. She sighed and looked up into the branches of the tree, the sun making the leaves look like little green stain glass windows.

"Excuse me!" A small voice called out to Sarah. She looked around and then down at her knee. A male goblin about ten inches high glared at her. Sarah blinked, "Hello."

"Little lady," The man said, Sarah could see he was the farmer by the look of his clothes, "I have to ask you to move along. You're scaring my cattle."

"Oh…" Sarah said, she hadn't seen cattle, "I'm sorry. I'm lost and was just looking for someone to tell me where I am."

"Lost? Lady you couldn't have gotten lost if you ended up here. No one comes here unless they mean to."

Sarah scratched the back of her head, "But I was sent here. Where is here?"

"This is Hidden Valley."

Sarah laughed, "Hidden Valley? I love their ranch."

"Who's ranch? There's about 20 ranches here, little lady. You're a strange one. Like I said, this is Hidden Valley. Unless you mean to come here, you can't come here." He started walking off her leg. He hopped to the ground and started ambling back to the farm. Sarah sighed and her stomach growled. It had been a very long time since she ate. The farmer turned, "Well… Come on then, you might has well have a meal before you leave. It's a good thing we have a setting for Biggins. Come on."

Sarah was grateful. A half hour later saw her sitting in the yard with what she thought was a bowl of stew. It was only a few bites but she was grateful, and in return, she helped the little farmer mend his barn roof; she picked him up, plucked him onto the roof and made sure he didn't fall. It was about this time it started to rain. The little farmer told her that down the road, she would find some shelter good enough for her to get out of the rain. She thanked him and ran.

She came to a large building that resembled a church. It was a large stone building with broken stain glass windows, half of the stone had crumbled to the ground and it was overgrown with vines, she was thankful to see some of the vines were applmelons. She ran inside before she got anymore wet. The inside was just a large room, but there was still half a roof for her to get out of the rain. She could see where there had been fire built and she looked around for some wood.

Soon, she had a cheery little fire going, thanking her stars she remembered what flint looked like from her earth science class. Some traveler had left some flint stones and she stuck them in her pocket. It would come in handy later. She sat by the fire to warm up and as she did, she looked around the church. The sky outside grew darker and her little fire cast shadows. The shadows scared her, as if something would come out of them.

Like the face. She had screamed when she saw it but felt silly when she realized it was just a statue. She stood and went to examine it more closely. It look liked it was apart of an alter. It seemed to have stood about eight feet tall, and the woman was very beautiful. Sarah went to her fire and took up a torch, she brought it closer to the statue to get a better look at it. It took her a moment to realize, "It's… me…"

She had to stand back a moment, confused. It was her, but it wasn't her. The woman was older, from what Sarah could tell. She lifted her torch, squinting, "This place just gets weirder and weirder…"

"What's weird?"

Sarah yelped and dropped her torch. She turned to see the little farmer by her fire.

"Oh… you scared me!"

"I'm sorry. The missus asked me to come check on you, to see if you made it here ok. I see you did. And I also see you discovered the queen." The little farmer walked to the statue and smiled at it, "Some of our most prosperous times were during her reign, that's what my pappy said."

"I didn't know the Underground had a queen."

"Yes, she was the Queen of the Goblins. Queen Charlotte. Beautiful beyond words and smarter then the moon is bright. I used to come here as a child, my grandpa would find me and tell me the stories."

Sarah sat by her fire, looking at the statue, "The stories?"

The farmer came to sit by her on a rock, "The stories of the Underground. How a man became King of the Goblins."


	12. PART TWELVE

The Accidental Return

PART TWELVE

Sarah leaned forward to listen as the little farmer cleared his throat. The fire threw shadows across the dilapidated walls of the church, it all seemed so spooky. Sarah remembered telling ghost stories around the fire when she went camping with her girl scout troop.

"A little more then a hundred years ago, the Underground was ruled by a Queen. Her beauty was famous and her kindness was legendary. She ruled the inhabitants of the Underground as if she was a mother and we were her children. She had several advisers that helped her with this rule, because every day the Underground got a little bigger. The Underground is a place where all dreams go when they are finished being…well… dreams. Anyway, these advisors helped her, each having their own job so the Queen did have to bother with it.

One of these advisors was the Keeper of Discarded Children. He wanted a better position within the kingdom, he wanted to be King. So one day, he ships the queen off to the Aboveground. She's stripped of her magic and can no longer return here. The new King of Goblins forbid anyone to talk of the queen and had all her shrines destroyed."

He sighed and looked over at the broken statue, "He was a mean one, they say. He died before I was born, thank goodness, but my Pappy said he drove the Underground into a depression we still haven't crawled out of. Pappy used to say the throne was cursed when the queen was driven away. The Underground would never return to its glory until a queen sits on the throne. Most of the inhabitants had forgotten there even was a queen. Well, everyone but us folks of Hidden Valley, and maybe the owl man."

Sarah was jerked out of her warm cocoon of story listening by the fire, "Owl man?"

"Ayah. I comes here, every now and then, to get away from the wife and chores and just remember. A few times, I came here to see a man, taller then you, staring at the statue of the queen. He seems so sad. Once, I made a noise and he turned, and with such fierce eyes, turned into an owl and flew off. Gave me the creeps. I haven't been back here since."

Sarah nodded. She wasn't sure, but that sounded like Jareth. Could he have been the one to dethrone the queen? No, that was a hundred years ago… he couldn't be that old, could he? Sarah stood, going to the statue. She pressed a hand to the broken face of the woman and sighed, "That was a lovely story, sir. Thank you for telling me." Something glistening in the dirt caught her eyes. She bent over, dusting it off. She held it up and stared at the glass orb in her hand. It looked like one of Jareth's bubbles. She turned it in the firelight, a familiar feeling sweeping through her. She had to sit down before her legs got any weaker. She watched the bubble and inside, she could see people moving. It was like that dream!

She looked up suddenly and saw the farmer was leaving. He gave her a wave and left as the rain poured harder outside and thunder cracked the sky. Sarah looked back at the bubble, squinting hard. This bubble wasn't as clear or clean as the ones she had seen Jareth use, maybe this one was too old. She took her shirt and polished it a little, trying to get a better look. She held it closer to the fire and was able to make out, yes,people were moving inside, dancing. She recognized the place, it was from when Jareth poisoned her with the peach. The round ballroom. She didn't see any others, just two people dancing. She knew Jareth, from his styled spiky hair and just the way he moved like a fluid lover. The woman, she thought at first, it was her. The dress was familiar, but when the woman turned, she saw it wasn't her, it was the statue lady, the queen. Her eyes were blue and her hair was black, but other then that, she and Sarah could have been sisters. The two stopped dancing, Sarah could see their faces better and what burned in their eyes made Sarah feel like she was intruding on a private moment. And in a way, she was, this was a memory from Jareth himself.

"Oh my…" Sarah breathed. She turned her head and the crystal dropped into the fire. It seemed to pop like a bubble and the fire sparkled with glitter. Her hand went to her throat as she tried to stomp down what feelings had been stirred by finding the orb. What was she suppose to do? She just wanted to go home!

'Really, just want to go home, now?' The little voice in her head said.

Sarah grit her teeth and lay on the ground. She crossed her arms and closed her eyes, singing very loudly, trying to drown her thoughts out.

* * *

She woke up in the morning feeling cross, soar, and wet. She dusted her back off, feeling grumpy as she restarted the fire to dry off from where the rain had gotten in and soaked her. She ate a couple of the applmelon fruits, starting to hate them now, and thought about what she should do. She needed to leave Hidden Valley for one. She had asked the farmer which way to the Goblin City, even better, he gave her a map. It was small, but she could read it and that was all that mattered. It would take some time to get to the Goblin City, but she had to. She needed to see Jareth, evil fairy bitch queen or no. He had to know of someway to send her home, no matter what SHE had said. He was the Goblin King for heaven sake. The Goblin King.

Sarah wondered how he had become the Goblin King. Did he dethrone Queen Charlotte? Could he be that old or did he inherit it from his father? That title… what had the farmer called the advisor? The Keeper of Discarded Children, or something like that. That sounded like what Jareth did. Came when summoned and took children. Or maybe it was just the words from her book. "I wish the Goblin King would come right now." He would come to those words and did as the person asked for a price.

Sarah looked outside after dousing her fire and saw it was clear and very beautiful. She started down the road, walking slowly at first, her thoughts allowing her to go a while before noticing she was hungry again. She stopped, looking around. She wasn't in Hidden Valley anymore, she was sure of it. She was on a flat plain, like a prairie. It looked like the Sea of Grass, but it was very green. Gold sky stretched forever above her and she turned in a circle, not seeing any mountains or trees or any kind of landmark for miles. She threw her hands up and just started walking again, grumbling about kings and queens.

Her heart hurt, she realized as she walked on for about another hour. She missed her father and Toby and even her step-mother. She wanted to know if they missed her too, if they knew she was ok. She hoped Hoggle was ok and Didymus. What had happened to Ludo and David? She stopped in the road again and sighed, she walked to the side of the road to find a place to sit. She hadn't stepped off the road for a moment when she felt it close around it. Some sort of net she couldn't see. She screamed as it pulled her feet up and jerked her into the sky.


	13. PART THIRTEEN

The Accidental Return

PART THIRTEEN

_A/N: In celebration of AR's Thirteenth chapter, I decided to pop a little Author's Note up here to thank everyone for reading. I only planned to make this story a few chapters long, a quick story to indulge myself but it ended up being more then I thought. Thanks everyone for your comments and reading. ALSO! If anyone has a picture of the Fairy Queen in your head, feel free to draw her up, shoot me a line on my Deviant Art account, I'm a comment whore. I'll whore you up too _

Sarah stopped screaming when her voice cracked. She started panting in fear, the wind whistling past her ears. She closed her eyes, trying to keep from throwing up as her body was jerked higher and higher into the air. Her stomach lurched from the suddenness of her flight and stopped when she thudded onto a wooden floor. She squeaked and rolled into a ball as someone started yelling around her.

"We got us a live one! Whistlenit, undo the bind! Tokensock, grab the baskets and prepare the knives!"

Knives! Sarah screamed and kicked as whoever started undoing the ropes, freed her. She stood quickly, her fists balled tightly, ready to fight. "Don't you touch me!"

"What the hell is THIS?" Someone said behind her. She turned, ready to defend herself when she saw someone she didn't think she would see again.

"HOGGLE!"

"Hogglllle?!" The little man squawked as Sarah hugged him fiercely, picking him up. The little man wiggled his legs, "LET ME DOWN!"

Sarah gasped and stood back, really looking at the dwarf goblin now. He looked like Hoggle, but wasn't. He wore a tail coat with a million patches, a pair of short pants and tights with buckle shoes, the buckles didn't match. At his side was a short sword. He didn't wear a hat, his gray hair fly away from Sarah's outburst. He started smoothing his hair down, "My name is Doggle. You must know my screw up brother, Hoggle."

"Brother?"

"Did I stutter? Yes, brother. We don't speak. He stays down on the ground and I stay up here in the clouds with my skyfishermen."

Sarah blinked, "My head hurts." She sat down, her back resting against the rail. She looked around, she was on another ship but this one was bigger. It was like a ship she would have seen on The Most Dangerous Catch, one of her favorite shows. Though, this ship was wooden and didn't have a crane. Now that she was looking at it, it seemed like a proper pirate ship. So did the crew, they were all goblins, mostly in half rotted armor, short pants and some even had eye patches.

"Skyfishermen?" Sarah repeated, "You're pirates!"

Doggle scowled at her, reminding her of Hoggle and it made her sad. Hoggle was a garden gnome right now and it was her fault.

"Pirate is a relative term. I say we are sky fishermen and that's what we are, little lady. Now tell me why I shouldn't huck you over the side of my ship?"

"Because I know your brother?"

"Not a good enough reason. I should huck you over JUST for that reason."

"Um… because if… if anything happens to me, the Goblin King will hunt you down!"

Doggle looked at her hard and then shrugged, "Fine." He turned from her, barking orders at his crew. Sarah realized this man was probably as much a coward as his brother was. She sighed with relief anyway, sagging against the rail. She looked up, seeing the ship was held aloft by very large balloons. Only in the Underground, she thought.

She stood and went to where Doggle steered the ship. She looked down off the side and gasped, how beautiful! The Underground was laid out under them like a patchwork quilt. Some places were emerald green, some were golden, others were black with dirt, dead spots in the Underground. Sarah frowned.

"Doggle? What are those black patches?" She pointed down as he came over to join her at the rail. He hand to use a little stool that was set by the rail, "Ooooh… those have been there for a while, they're all over the Underground. Just places where the magic has dried up. Look, girlie, I don't run a taxi service or am I a tour guide to the Underground. I am dropping you at the next city and have done with you."

Sarah bit her lip, "Wait. I…" She thought for a moment, "Look, I am in trouble and I need help." She started to explain her predicament to the dwarf goblin. He listen patiently, an eyebrow raising every now and then, but he stayed silent as she spoke.

"… and I ended up in Hidden Valley. I left there this morning. I have to see Jareth and luck brought me to you. You can get me there quicker then anything in the Underground. Please?"

Doggle gave her another hard look, "I don't do nothing for free, girl."

Of course, she remembered bribing Hoggle with a plastic bracelet, she doubted Doggle would take plastic. She didn't have any jewelry on anyway. No wait, "No I do…" she whispered and removed the studs she wore in her ears. They had been a birthday present from her father when she turned 18. Diamonds. They were small, but pretty and she held them out to Doggle, "Here, for my passage to the Goblin City."

Doggle took them and gave them close inspection. He slipped them into a pocket and nodded "Fine, these are good enough. HIGGLEPOT!" Sarah jumped.

A small fox-like goblin came up quickly, "Yessir?"

"Take the lady to a room. We're changing course. COURSE CHANGE!" He shouted, his crew responded, "RAISE THE SAILS! We're headed for the Goblin City!"


	14. PART FOURTEEN

The Accidental Return

PART FOURTEEN

Jareth landed on the balcony as gracefully as one can when changing from owl to man. His momentum allowed him to keep walking through the arch into the castle without breaking stride from flight to walking. The castle felt empty, but he ignored it. He was on a mission. He had gone to Hidden Valley, to his secret spot, and he felt her there. Something had sent her to that shrine for the old queen but when he searched for her, she was gone. He questioned the farmer down the lane, disguising himself as a merchant. The farmer had told him that yes, Sarah had been there and she had left that morning. Jareth followed her trail, but it ended in the middle of a lane miles from the shrine. He didn't know what to make of it, but if he could get to his crystals…

He stopped and listened. Was that a moan? He turned from his intended coarse and followed the moaning to a hall where two goblins lay in pieces. Literally. Jareth's face grew dark as he stopped just at the edge of the bloody mess. The door to the Fairy Queen's door was in splinters, wood mingled with the body parts and blood in the hallway. The head of one his goblins moaned and rolled to face Jareth.

"She escaped…"

Jareth grit his teeth and turned, cursing his weakness for females. He heart was locked away, he had vowed never to love, but that didn't mean his body didn't have urges. And his allience with the fairy queen would be a promising one for his kingdom. She had a plethora of magic and the Underground needed that right now. He entered his study, a large map of the Underground taking up the wall behind his desk. Jareth stopped to stare at it. Black inky blobs were scattered across the map. Places where magic had been drained away. This had him worried. The Underground had stopped growing when the queen was dethroned. And now, the Underground seemed to be dying.

"Why does this all happen at once?" He whispered, sitting in his chair and covering his eyes with his black gloved hand. The Underground dying, the Fairy Queen showing her true colors, Sarah returning. Sarah.

He looked up, his heart thudding quickly. He put his hand over it, closing his eyes, "Stop.."

He waited a moment and his heartbeat slowed. He opened his eyes and held his hand out, a crystal rolling into his palm. An image appeared and he saw the Fairy Queen burst through the door of her room and hack his guards to pieces. She didn't even get blood on her dress. She stood for a moment over her work and then vanished. She had to be after Sarah. The Queen knew his past with Sarah, she knew too much about Jareth. He knew that now. She was a force to be reckoned with and he was her match, which was strange. No being in the Underground should have been his equal. His hold over the Goblin Throne allowed his power to be the greatest in the Underground, the thrones of the lesser monarchs would always have to bow to him. But this Fairy Queen…

He narrowed his eyes. Standing, he turned to the windows that filled one wall of his study and threw them open. The Queen was free, she would be after Sarah and then she would return to him, expecting to take her place by his side, or even take his place. He knew that now. That woman is unstable, he thought. Her interference with Sarah was more then just an annoyance now, and her obliteration of his goblins was a message.

Sarah rolled over and rubbed her eyes, feeling better. She hadn't had a good sleep for a few nights now. Since she had come to the Underground, actually. Her body was stiff and she stood, stretching. She left her cabin and went up top. It was night time and the land under the airship was almost a black blanket, with little dots of lights, faint, but still visible. Doggle came to stand by her, "We will be at the Goblin City sometime tomorrow afternoon."

"Thank you, Doggle."

"You know my brother…." He started. Sarah looked at him, waiting for him to finish. Doggle looked up at her, "How is he?"

She thought she heard a tone of regret in his voice. Family matters, she thought.

"He is… not doing well… It's my fault. He was turned into a statue by the Goblin King."

Doggle took this in with a nod, "He was never bright. I knew getting mixed up with you would have been bad."

"You knew about me?" She asked, surprised.

"Of course. Everyone in the Underground can feel… a sort of… magical feeling… when a runner comes to the Labyrinth. Its how we know not to interfere. But Hoggle never paid much attention, really. After you left, the first to beat the Labyrinth might I add, he was in trouble with the King. Hoggle was made prince of the Bog of Eternal Stench, as you know. I talked to him soon after that, he told me Jareth had made him betray you, but it all worked out. I told him it was his own fault for getting mixed up with the King's business." He spat, "King. He's no king of mine."

Sarah blinked, "You don't like Jareth?"

Doggle looked at her with one eye, "Hell no, I don't like Jareth! He's a usurper to the throne. Our rightful Queen has been missing for years. I almost had a fit when I heard Jareth was trying to take a queen. Obviously he never heard the prophecy. I wouldn't be surprised, as vain as he is. Only interested in himself."

"What prophecy?" Sarah asked. She was learning more and more about the Underground, more then she wanted to.

"It was said, when the Queen was banished about a hundred years ago that: No woman shall hold the throne of the Goblins until the rightful successor returns to be challenged for the throne."

"So there is a queen out there, and unless she's defeated…"

"No woman shall be queen. That's right. A queen is suppose to hold that throne anyway. Bloody Jareth. The Underground has gone to hell since his father took the throne and since Jareth came to power, the Underground has been dying."

Sarah gasped. So it wasn't Jareth who banished Queen Charlotte. But that bubble… she thought. She was confused. She rubbed her forehead. It's none of my concern, she thought. I just need to get to Jareth, get home, and that's that.

Doggle left the rail to go back to the wheel. Sarah leaned on the rail, watching the Underground pass below them. There was a commotion behind her as the pirates rushed around, "We got a catch!"

Sarah turned to watch as a gate in the middle of the ship opened up, an arm with pullies was positioned over the hole and a rope was lowered. There was ahowled as a net like the one she was hauled up in came up through the hole. The pirates moved the net over the deck and released it. The gate was closed as a pirate opened the net and Sarah gasped. The more pirates came forward with swords.

"NO NO! Don't hurt him!" Sarah ran forward and threw herself on Ludo, "He's a friend! Don't hurt him!"

A/N: HELLO AGIAN! Just a note to say thanks for reading!


	15. PART FIFTEEN

The Accidental Return

PART FIFTEEN

"Don't hurt him!" Sarah cried again as Ludo hugged her, surprised. David looked around one of Ludo's horns, "Sarah? Sarah! For the love, love, where 'ave you been?"

"Here, in the Underground, still…" She said as she kicked a goblin with a very large butcher knife away from Ludo.

Doggle hobbled down the stairs, "SARAH!" He roared.

Sarah turned, "He's my friend!"

"Friend or not, he's been netted!" Hoggle said, as he grabbed a sword from another goblin and came forward, "Stand aside, girl!"

"Hell no! You didn't chop me up!"

"You paid for passage!"

"I'll pay for them too!"

Doggle stopped, "With what?"

Sarah thought a moment. She didn't have anything else. She patted at her pockets and then paused. She stuck her hand down inside the back pocket of her jeans and pulled out one of the gold bangles her mother had sent her for Christmas last year. She blinked at it, where had it come from, it hadn't been there before…

Doggle yanked it from her fingers, "This will do, stand down boys. Recast the net."

There were moans and a few curses shot her way, but Sarah ignored them. How had that bangle gotten there? She doesn't just stick stuff like that in her pockets like that! Especially not 14 carat gold. She narrowed her eyes at Doggle as she climbed off Ludo. She plucked David off Ludo's head so she could talk to him. Ludo stayed close to Sarah, the pirate goblins made him nervous and when he saw where they were, he was even more nervous. Ludo was a creature of the earth, not the air.

Ludo sat by Sarah's favorite part of the rail as she leaned on him and David rested on her hand. She looked at him, "Tell me what happened after I walked into the castle."

"Well, love. First off, 'allo to you too."

Sarah sighed, "Sorry, David. I've had… a lot to think about and almost killed a few times, so I'm a little put out."

"Ah, well. That changes everything, doesn't it, love. Anyway, so you went into the castle, leaving me and my pal Ludo here to fend for ourselves. A goblin patrol tossed us out on Ludo's ear."

"Eeeearrrr huuuuuuurt." Ludo said. Sarah scratched his ear, making him, what she thought, purr.

"I'm sorry, Ludo. I promise not to go off and leave you like that again."

"Saaawwwaaaaah." He purred and then went silent.

"We wandered around the city," David continued, "'Ad a good dinner, Ludo sure can chow down. It was about that time we noticed goblins moving out of the city. We stopped one and you know what he said, love?"

"You have the bluest eyes he's ever seen?"

"Funneh, love. Funneh. He said 'Kingy ordered find the girl.'"

"Jareth wanted me found?"

"Seems that way, love. ALL the Goblin Army, out lookin' for you."

Sarah scrunched her forehead in deep thought. What did all this mean?! First he sends her through the maze, that queen bitch tried to kill her, and now this. She also couldn't forget that bubble she found.

"I have never had such a headache," She muttered darkly. She set David on Ludo's horn and sat down next to Ludo, breathing in his musty earthy odor. It was making her comfortable and sleepy. She snuggled close to him and sighed, "All I wanted was to go home. You know, I was suppose to graduate. I don't even know when, now. Time is different here. Thirteen hours…"

"I'm sorry, love." David said.

Sarah sighed sleepily. Doggle hobbled up to them, arms on hips, "Well, you three, I suppose back to the city?"

"Yes…" Sarah yawned.

"CAPTIAN!" Someone yelled down from the crows nest, "WE GOT A SWARM!"

"It isn't locust season…" Doggle muttered, quickly going back to the wheel.

Sarah stood, crossing the deck to the other side of the ship to look out where the look out pointed to. She squinted and saw a fast moving black mass. Her eyes widened, "Quick, Ludo, David, we have to get down below deck!"

"It's too late!" David cried as the mass hit the ship and it actually rocked. Sarah waved her arms, trying to keep her balance. There was a high buzzing sound as the cloud darkened the sky. Sarah cried out as something bit her hand. She shook it and yelled, "FARIES!"

"Fairies?!" Doggled cried from the wheel, "Bloody hell! LADS! Wheel out the hoses!"

Ludo bellowed loudly as David yipped. David was being lifted off Ludo by two fairies. Sarah gasped and went to Ludo, grabbed David and put him on her shoulder under her over shirt.

"Thanks, love." Came his muffled gratitude. Ludo swatted at the fairies as the goblins lifted two gates out of the floor and started pulling up hoses. In between the hoses, a pump was lifted and the hoses connected. Four goblins manned the hoses as four more manned the pumps. There was a hushing sound and water started to spray through the hoses. The goblins sprayed everywhere. Sarah yelled as she was doused along with Ludo. She sputtered and then yelled again, "MY EYES!"

Doggled handed her a rag and she wiped lemon juice from her face.

"Lemon juice?"

"Kills fairies."

A strong wind picked up as the goblins sprayed, blowing Sarah's hair up and across her face. She blinked as Doggle sucked in a surprised breath, "By the hand of the Gods…"

She looked at him puzzled, "What's wrong?" She pushed her hair back, wishing she had a hair tie.

"You… you look like… The Queen…"

"Not the fairy one I hope." She used the rag and started to wipe Ludo's face off.

"No… I mean… It's been so long…" He muttered.

Sarah only looked at him blankly and then gasped, looking over his shoulder. Another black cloud headed their way. This one had a white center. As she watched the blackness folded back to reveal the Fairy Queen, grinning madly as the cloud swarmed onto the ship. The Queen landed gracefully but as she turned, seeing Sarah, sprang like a lion onto her prey. Sarah screamed as she was pinned to the deck of the ship, the hoses going full blast at the cloud.

Sarah struggled but the Queen laid a hand over Sarah's mouth and smiled. Sarah gasped like a fish out of water, she felt her energy drain away, her eyes becoming droopy.

"I knew you weren't just some average girl…" The Queen hissed. "He wouldn't love some average girl."

Sarah looked up at the Queen, fear making tears squeeze at the corner of her eyes, but rage made them stay where they were. Sarah kicked her legs with every ounce of strength she had left and the Queen rolled off, standing. Ludo helped Sarah stand as Sarah pointed at the Queen, "You crazy ass bitch, LEAVE ME ALONE!"

"I'm afraid I can't do that, girl. I had a taste of you and now I want it all…"

The Queen flew at Sarah again as Sarah cringed back into Ludo. The Queen stopped as something screeched and a snowy own fell into the Queen, ripping at her face with talons. She grabbed the bird and Sarah flinched as she heard a wet snap. The bird was flung over the rail and Sarah went to it, "JARETH!"

The Queen slid her arm across Sarah's throat, "You will never say that name again."

She ripped back Sarah's shirt and bit into the hallow between neck and shoulder. Sarah opened her mouth in a silent scream, only a small croak came out. She limply beat at the Fairy Queen, her clawed fingers doing nothing. She felt fire licking up from her toes, her hands went numb, and as her head rolled onto her chest, she saw the boat growing smaller under her feet. She heard Doggle crying out for the men to spray the ropes at the balloons, the fairies were biting through them. Ludo cried out for Sarah, but Sarah was already gone.


	16. PART SIXTEEN

The Accidental Return

PART SIXTEEN

_A/N: Hello! The author here. Just a warning for all you fabulous readers out there. This chapter contains much fluff, SO! For those of you with weak hearts, tendencies to squeal loudly, faint, or cry at really romantic moments: grab a box of tissues, have lots of pillows around your desk, warn people of loud noises, and have an extra bottle of nitro pills handy!! I love my job…er… hobby. And remember! If I don't know how well you like my brand of fluff, how do I know if I should write more? REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!  
_

Sarah felt numb. She was aware she was numb, unmovable, somewhere, but unsure where. She wanted to move now. She wanted to see where she was, smell it, feel it. She wanted to move now. A small voice in her head said, 'you may want the moon, but that doesn't mean you'll get it.' As her adventure in the Underground got more and more involved, she became aware that voice sounded like Jareth. It was so unfair. 'You say that so often… what's your basis for comparison?'

She wanted to smile at that. She tried, tried to talk, open her eyes, move a finger. Anything. Then something happened. She was aware of movement. Her eyes opened, looking out over a hedge maze. Her hands moved slowly over a cold marble rail. Her dress rustled as she walked down the open hallway, one hand moved along the rail as she looked over the labyrinth. She could see her long lashes, feel them on her cheeks when she blinked, she could taste the rose rouge on her lips. She looked down at her hands, no, Sarah didn't do it. She was just an observer now, she could feel it. She watched the world through this woman's eyes.

"Charlotte?"

The woman turned slowly towards the voice. Sarah knew that voice only too well, but it sounded younger, softer. Sarah felt the warm bloom over cheeks, fluttering in the stomach. This woman was in love with the owner of that voice. Charlotte turned back to the rail, smiling softly, "I knew you'd find me."

"It wasn't hard, Charlotte."

He joined her at the rail, his hands finding the rail next to hers. She laid a hand over his black leather clad hand, intertwining her fingers into his. She looked over at him, admiring the way his shoulder's filled his jacket. The muscles of his legs pressing against his dove gray tights. She sighed with longing and then covered her mouth, laughing.

"What?" He asked, puzzled.

"Just thinking some very unlady-like thoughts."

"Ah." He smiled, taking her hand and kissing her palm. She slide her hand from his grasp and laid it on his cheek. She felt the slight stubble there from his shave and she moved her palm across it slowly, remembering the feel of it. Sarah felt sadness swell in Charlotte's chest.

"Jareth…" She started, but Jareth stopped her.

"Please. Don't start. Don't explain to me why you're doing this because as long as I live I will never understand." Anger flared through his body, she could see his jaw clinch and his shoulder tense. He turned from her, the leather creaking on his fists. He turned back to her, pleading in his voice, "Fight him. I know you can. Don't just give in."

Her breath caught in her throat as he came closer, "Why? Why won't you fight back?" Anger was mixed with anguish in his voice. Her face threaten to crumble, she could feel tears prickle at the corner of her eyes.

"There has been enough fighting in the Underground." She said quietly, turning back to the rail, watching the moon rise over the labyrinth, "With the expansion, came civil war. I'm tired of death and if I fight him, there will only be more, Jareth. I already lost my parents, will I have to lose you too before its over?"

"I will fight for you then. I can not just stand by and watch as he does this!"

"NO!" She turned, gripping his arm, "No! I forbid you to fight your father." She turned, trying to stifle the racking sobs that threatened to ruin her makeup. She could feel Jareth by her, tense and then relax. He gently too her arm and folded his own around her. She pressed her face into his chest, breathing in his smell. It was soothing, his light musk and deep stony smell. She closed her eyes, "Please… can we just be together for tonight."

"Yes. I'm sorry I upset you. It wasn't my intention. Come, the ball has started and the queen should make an appearance."

He led her through an archway and down a hallway. They entered at the top of a long staircase and descended slowly as the music started loudly. Below, the dancers whirled a Virginia reel. Jareth pulled a mask from where he hid it in his jacket and Charlotte covered her mouth. The little mask on it's stick was very demonic.

"Jareth, where did you get that." As queen, she wasn't required to wear a mask.

"I had it made special." He looked at her through it, "Don't like it?"

"It's very you." She smiled at him. She knew that she was the only one who could say that to him without ending up in an oubliette. Being queen had to have some perks.

The ballroom was rounded and styled in hues of creams and whites. Large crystal chandeliers hung from different levels around the room. Table skirted the edge of the dance floor and the staircase wound around the room twice. Jareth signaled to the orchestra and pulled Charlotte onto the dance floor. He spun her around and she laughed gaily until the music slowed and they were pressed together. For a moment, their fingers intertwined and tears blurred her vision. She couldn't tell which fingers were hers. Jareth looked down at her, "What's the matter?"

"My heart aches, Jareth. This is our last night together." She rested her head on his chest, her free hand gripping the lapels of his jacket is grim desperation, "Don't let go of me." She whispered.

He cleared his throat wetly and then started to sing softly to her, "There's such a sad love… deep in your eyes… a kind of pale jewel… open and closed within your eyes… I'll place the sky within your eye. There's such a fooled heart… beating so fast in search of new dreams… a love that will last within your heart--"

"What about your heart?" She whispered.

"My heart?' He asked just as quietly as they swirled slowly across the dance floor.

"What will you do… after?"

"Kill myself."

"Be serious."

He sighed, frustrated, "I haven't thought about it. Be angry, for one thing. My heart will be broken, Charlotte. What can I do for that? How can I ever function again?"

They whirled for a moment before she spoke again, "Promise me you'll find someone else."

"I can't make that promise. I found my someone."

"Jareth… please. I can't be the only one forever."

"It's looking pretty good from here…"

She looked up at him as he looked over the top of her head, refusing to meet her eyes. She focused on the sparkles on his jacket, the tiny jewels sewn into the fabric. She ran a hand over them, watching the light glisten off them, like the light shone into his blue eye.

"Jareth…"

"I can't make that promise and I won't make that promise. I feel my heart breaking as we dance right now. I can't love another person, Charlotte. You are my heart and you're being ripped away."

"What about…"

Sarah felt heat rise into her face and knew what Charlotte was trying to ask. Sex.

"My body has urges, Charlotte." Jareth knew what she was asking. She knew he had said it in a way that was almost cruel. So it started.

Charlotte sucked in a breath, trying to hide her hurt from the tone of his voice.

"I see. It's starting. I won't let this night be ruined by you being a child." She turned from him in mid-step and started across the floor. He stood in the middle of the floor as the dancers swirled around him, watching her disappear through the crowd. He had tried to push her away like a child. She was right. Hurt her so this would be easier. It had been stupid. He felt stupid. He walked quickly through the crowd and out into the deserted hallway. He heard her heels on the hard floors and followed the sound out into the open air.

He finally found her in the hedge maze. When he saw she had entered, he had willed the maze to take him directly to her. It was his domain, his labyrinth. His father had denounced it when he made his try for Charlotte's crown. He walked to her now, as she stood at the edge of the Mirror Pool.

"Did you come to hurt me more, to make it easier for me to leave you?" She asked without turning.

"I'm sorry." He wrapped his arms around her and turned her so he could look at her face. Her beautiful face. Sarah, seeing the reflection of Charlotte in his eyes, saw how much she, Sarah, looked like her, Charlotte. They were almost identical.

Suddenly he was too close. No it wasn't sudden. He had meant to be too close. Sarah realized their relationship was only glances across a room, loving touches, whispered words. He bent down to her, his lips coming closer. Her eyes closed, waiting, longing, her own lips quivering with her body.

Sarah opened her eyes, gasping for air. Surprised sent her arm out to steady herself. Her hand crashed through a stack of book and she fell to the floor, unbalanced. She shook on the floor for a moment, her lips felt swollen. She pressed a finger to them, shivering. She could still smell him! Shuttering, unsure what from, she stood and looked around. She was home?

"Home…" Her bed, her desk, her posters…dolls…stuffed animals… This wasn't her room. At least not the one she had left. She looked at her hands. Where was the scar on her knuckle from Toby biting her when he was teething? Where was the faded scratches from the cat she found last year? She turned, looking at her dresser, at the mirror on the wall.

Her younger self looked back at her. Her face was rounder, her cheeks chubbier, her eyebrows thicker. She narrowed her eyes. What kind of trick was this? She couldn't tell what age she was, but she had a pretty good idea. Was it all a dream then? No, that was too easy. The last three years of her life couldn't have been a dream. She flew out of her room, "DAD?! Linda! Toby!"

She went from room to room. Everything looked the same but… not. What was suppose to be Toby's room was still her father's office. Toby's growth chart was missing from the bathroom. She went downstairs. The carpet in the hall was white, it was suppose to be blue. She had bled on it two years ago when she cut her hand in the kitchen. She crossed into the living room. The furniture was still new looking. It was wrong. Her forehead scrunched in confusion. She turned, the only sound in the house was the clock in the hallway. Something moved at the corner of her eyes. She turned again, looking at the fireplace, the mirror above it, actually.

Jareth stood behind her.

She whipped around, "Jareth!"

He stood as he did the first time. The very first time, in rotted black armor, flowing black cape, almost shadowlike. His hands were on his hips and he smiled, tilting his head.

"What's going on, Jareth. I don't understand--"

"Yes you do." He said, half smiling, his pointy teeth glistening in the slight light of the room.

"What…"

"You have known what has been happening since you came to the Underground Sarah. You wished yourself here… so you came. You knew something was wrong here. You know it now. So fix it."

"Wished? I didn't…"

"Sarah. Stop lying to yourself."

Sarah stopped moving, staring at him, into his eyes. Something in his eyes. Something was lurking in her own eyes, in her head, in her heart. She knew there was something she was missing. Something big. She knew what that something was suddenly. That would be dealt with later. She tilted her own head, "You're a bastard."

"And you're a spoiled girl who thinks everything has to be handed to her or it isn't…fair." The last word was a perfect imitation of her voice.

She narrowed her eyes and reached out to slap him. Her hand passed through thin air. He was gone. He had never been there. She sighed, feeling a knot untie in her chest, "Alright then." And then she woke up.


	17. PART SEVENTEEN

The Accidental Return

PART SEVENTEEN

Sarah woke up and David almost had a heart attack. Usually, a bite from the Fairy Queen herself meant… well never mind what it meant. David didn't like to think about it. Sarah shook her head slowly, like she was trying to clear it. She moaned, "Blooody heelll…"

"Sarah!" David exclaimed, quietly. He didn't want to draw attention to himself. "Sarah, love, thank goodness."

Sarah coughed and pulled against her restraints. She rolled her head up on her shoulder, looking at her arms.

"David…why…why can't I move?"

She hung from the netting, high up on the mast. Below her, the goblin crew was tied up, being teased by thousands of fairies. The Queen was standing at the wheel, looking out over the ship. Sarah rolled her head back to David, who sat on her left shoulder.

"She's taken the ship, love. We are in big trouble."

There was a low moan and ear splitting bark met the air, like rocks grinding against each other. Sarah looked down to see Ludo swatting at a cloud of fairies. Sarah grit her teeth, but she couldn't get free. Her body felt weak, her muscles like jelly. It had to be the venom from the bite. The dreams she had were very real, she could still smell Jareth around her. Maybe her weakness could also be blamed on him. She thought back to the last dream, her house, and what Jareth said.

"So fix it…"

"What? Sarah, what?" David said, a little panicked as Sarah started to wiggle against her ties. "Sarah, stop. You need to rest, love."

"I can't rest, David. Not until after we take care of her."

"'Er? 'Er? The bloody Queen? Sarah, ducky, she's a fairy, we can't just…"

"Will you shut up and help me?"

David sighed and started chewing at the ropes. It wasn't much help but at least she got him to stop talking so she could think. Jareth was MIA, after attacking the Queen. Sarah couldn't be sure he was alive or dead. Her dreams, unsure if he had really been there or not, had been most enlightening. She wasn't sure how, she felt like she had the answer right at the tip of her tongue but she just couldn't… think…

Her right wrist came free to her surprise. Did David have teeth? She couldn't remember him having teeth and then David made a little noise of shock from her ledt wrist. She looked over at him and then her free wrist.

"What the fu- ?!"

She was free and falling. She fell to the deck on top of Ludo. The cloud of biting fairies flew off in shock as Sarah moaned from her spot on top of Ludo. David was shouting profanities until Sarah shifted and he was free from her butt.

"Saaaawwwaahhhh?"

"I'm fine Ludo… just…" Her head rang as she staggered to her feet. She looked around quickly, ignoring her pains. The Queen was shouting something from the wheel. Sarah blinked, "Oh crap."

She backed up to the rail as the Queen seemed to leap over the wheel and down onto the deck, "You little WHORE!"

Her sing song voice didn't sound so pretty now. Sarah looked at David and Ludo, "I'll come back for you, I promise!"

She lept over the rail, unsure of what would await her.

She heard the screech of the Queen, the cry of fright from Ludo and David and she swore she heard something from Doggle, but she couldn't be sure, something else had caught her attention. Her friends were important, they needed her, but this… This feeling that rushed through her as her wings caught the air and lifted her higher and higher. The way that it passed over her glossy black feathers and around her tail feathers. She couldn't think of anything else but pumping her wings and trying to get higher.

Her human part was startled by the sudden change but another part of her welcomed it, was thrilled it was finally free. Sarah called out with her long black beak with a song of joy as she rolled on the wind and then dove. She reveled at the patchwork Underground under her and a sorrow so heavy she almost fell from the sky when she saw the black patches.

This isn't right, she thought to herself, something is wrong in the Underground and I have to fix it.

She saw the castle ahead, a familiar structure. Home. She let the wind carry her down into the gardens, but she didn't land. She skidded over a reflection pool and up onto a balcony where a familiar body awaited. He stood in the shadows, his eyes on her as she landed on the rail. She hopped sideways as he came forwards. Sarah saw something flash in in his eyes, his mouth setting in a line.

She was tired of the flashes that lit his eyes and were gone in a second. She wanted to see the whole feeling, the thought. She kept twisting her head back and forth to get the whole of him. From his tight white pants, his open black shirt, his maroon high collared jacket. She always loved his boots. His clothes were weird, but his shoes were always great. She noticed he was whole. Her heart pounded in her little birdie chest. His wasn't harmed, he was whole and strong.

It was that thought that pulled her back into her human form, allowing her to sit on the rail, looking at him. She saw the breath catch in his chest, his mouth parting just so she could barely see his teeth. She slid off the rail and went to him, before she could stop herself, her hand was tracing his jaw line, her head tilted back and to the side so she could see his eyes more clearly. The flash wasn't a flash anymore. A painful look was there, like someone had ripped his heart out. She pulled her hand back like she was shocked.

"Sarah…" he breathed, taking a step back.

She bit her lower lip, pushing back everything she wanted to say to him except one thing, "I need help."


	18. PART EIGHTEEN

The Accidental Return

PART EIGHTEEN

He blinked at her for a moment and then his smug mask rose over his surprised features, making Sarah take a breath of annoyance.

"You need my help? Well well… that's a switch. Do you really think that's being FAIR, Sarah?"

"What? What are you talking about?" She could see his smugness slipping into another emotion that was ugly. He was angry.

"You know what I'm talking about, you little… little… tease! Woman, you are infuriating!" He turned, his gloves groaning from the tight fists he made. "I bent over backwards to make you happy and why, because of HER! Just because you look like her! I haven't had a summons for… thirty seven years and then all the sudden… YOU SHOW UP! It had to be her, nothing else can explain it."

Sarah blinked and put a hand over her eyes in frustration as she let him rave. She knew this man was usually very careful with his emotion and demeanor. Something had set him off and if she knew men, it was a woman. Her friends were usually always clucking about men and how women affected them. She crossed her arms, waiting for him to finish. It took a moment before he was finished. He turned to her, "WHAT?"

"Are you done?"

"I-"

"Yah, you're done. Listen here you over dressed hedgehog. My friends are in trouble! And whatever bleeding heart dilemma you're in can WAIT! You're gonna help me, because whatever freaky thing is happening to me, I can't control it!"

He stood there speechless. She rather liked him speechless and the fact she did it made it even more sweet. Something shifted and he was really looking at her now, hard. She felt uncomfortable. He started to walk around her, taking her in.

"Jareth, what are you…"

"Be still, I'm looking at your aura."

"My aura?"

"Sarah." The tone in his voice made her stand still and be silent. She thought, what a twist from just a minute ago, how does he do that? She stood as still as she could as he started around circle around her, muttering to himself.

"… like a candle guttering in the wind. I know the spell but… It wasn't until this time she started to acquire it. Why didn't I notice it before? Hm… The flavour is so familiar. Could she be…"

He likes to prattle on, doesn't he? She thought to herself and snickered. She was tired of standing still and letting him look her over like a prized pig at the fair. "Look, are you going to help me or not?"

"Where is it?"

Did she miss a step in the conversation, "Where is who, you mean? She got Ludo and David on Doggle's flying pirate ship, it's close. I thought you knew that? You were there, you fly in her face. Hey, how are you fine, by the way. I thought I heard her-"

He sighed, exasperated, "The book, Sarah. How you learned of the Underground and the Labyrinth."

"Oh, It's at home, I packed it up after the…wait…" She blinked, feeling something in her back pocket. Her hand went to it and she pulled out the little red book with the tattered cover. How many times had she read this book? Spent long nights under the covers saying the lines in her voice and the voice she thought he would have? "How did…"

He took it from her and opened it, the pained expression appearing on his face again.

"Of course, of course. Her hand writing…" He closed the book and Sarah snatched it back, "I always thought that was to make it look like a diary…"

"A diary? Sarah, this book is a not some fairy tale story. You simple girl. She wrote this…" Jareth rubbed his temples, "How do I explain this without revealing everything… should I?"

Sarah turned, frustrated, he was talking to himself again. How does one man argue with himself so often? He must be lonely cooped up with only simple goblins to talk to. She threaded her fingers together behind her head and walking in a small circle, waiting for Jareth to finish. She turned when she realized he stopped talking. He stood with his back to her, his shoulders slumped, his head down.

"Jareth?"

"I thought she was gone from me. She was only a memory and then you showed up with that baby. Thirty seven years there had not been a child and then poof, you wish him away and why? Because of these words. These little words she wrote here because she… she knew that someone in her family would do what you did. Siblings would, its natural to want to wish them away. She wrote this book because she knew someone would come back. This book contains the words, her words… her spells… because her magic was stripped from her but her spells were not."

He turned and Sarah took a step back from the pain in his face. His eyes glistened with it, his face was lined with it. "Your fate was sealed as soon as you touched this book. As soon as you started to read it. Fate was on your side, Sarah. Fate, and the woman I loved."

Sarah started shaking. What was he saying? She never had a choice in these matters? She was suddenly aware that he was close and she looked up at him. His eyes changed, something else had replaced the pain of heartbreak to something Sarah had only seen once before, between her father and her step mother. She had the word for it, she never used it out loud and never thought she would use it to describe how anyone would look at her, ever. His eyes smoldered for her and her alone.

"My heart betrayed my promise never to love another."

His mouth closed over hers as his arms wrapped around her, pulling her to him. Her arms here pinned between their bodies, her hands pressed to his bare chest, curling limply. It felt as if he was trying to swallow her into him desperately. He pulled back and she fell into his arms, her legs suddenly not working. She panted rapidly, shaking in his arms as he stroked her hair. When she finally found her words, she realized how hot he was, like he had a fever.

"Why are you so hot?" She asked weakly.

"Hot? Oh the heat. It's… apart of my species. Disregard it." He took a deep, shaking breath. "Sarah, we have much to speak about…"

"No shit."

He only chuckled as he turned with her in his arms and they appeared in another room. This one was nicer then any of the castle that she had seen. The stone floors were covered in thick dark carpets. The furniture was all dark oak, very old but well taken care of. The canopy bed was on a platform in the middle of the room, the same dark oak with dark hangings. They had appeared by the bed. He lifted her, setting her on the dark coverlet. She squeaked as she slid to the middle of the soft mattress. He walked to the end of the bed, looking at her, his face catching the shadows of the room and the dusty sunlight that filtered through the stain glass windows. She struggled to sit up, crossing her legs under her, leaning against the pillows, the many, many pillows.

"Every moment we waste, Jareth…"

"Yes. I know, but don't worry. She will not kill them, just torture them into telling her what she wants to know."

Sarah closed her eyes, feeling the blood leave her face, "Perfect."

"Sarah, please try and focus to what is happening right now. This is very important."

"Then you better not kiss me again."

He chuckled, "We'll worry about that later. I need to tell you about Charlotte"

"The Queen of the Underground?"

"You know of her." That wasn't a question.

"Yes… I saw her image in a bubble at the church in Hidden Valley and then when… when the Fairy Queen bit me, I was dreaming…"

"Sarah, by now, don't you know how true a dream can be?"

She blanched, remembering the peach, "Yes. Then, you and her…"

"We were in love, yes. My father took her throne, stripped her of her magic and banished her to the Aboveworld. He would have killed her if I had not asked him not to. Sarah, where did you get this book?" He held up her copy of the Labyrinth. She thought she took it from him.

"My mother gave it to me before she left with Jerem-… I mean before she left to become an actress. She said to keep it safe, it was special to the women of our family."

"It was passed down through generations…"

"Not many, I think she said it belonged to my… great grandmother? I can't remember."

"This explains why your aura is so strong and so familiar."

"You have said that before, my aura? What do you mean?"

He shifted, turning from her, "Every living thing has a magical aura. The more magical, the stronger the aura. Your aura keeps shifting wildly from a mortal's aura to a magical creature."

"So when I turned into a bird…"

"Yes, that was a shift. You come it honestly, it seems. But you need to stabilize the shifting to be any good to your friends. I can't defeat the Fairy Queen myself. If she were a formal fairy, yes. But… she isn't and I can't explain why. Somehow she's become stronger then I am."

Sarah drew her knees up to her chest, thinking. She had a lot to think about. Her great grandmother was the Queen of the Underground? He didn't say it right out, but he didn't have to.

"Jareth, how old are you?"

He turned, giving her a weary glance, "Is that really important now?"

"You were in love with my great grandmother, and now you seem to be in love with me. It is actually."

"Seem to be. You say that like it's a passing comment in a conversation." He blew air through his nose in frustration, leaning towards her, so the dusty light lit his face, "I am seven hundred twenty two."

Sarah blinked, "You don't look a day over 600." She covered her mouth as she started laughing. He rolled his eyes, turning from her again, "I really don't think it is that funny."

"Oh it really is, Jareth. You expect me to believe-"

"Sarah, your friends; A yeti-like beast, a talking worm, a knight fox, and a goblin; are being held captive by a fairy queen."

Sarah stopped laughing abruptly. He had her there, as much as she hated to admit, which she wasn't going to.

"Might I remind you that you have Hoggle and Sir Didymus held captive?"

"Yes, well, they annoy me, don't they."

"Ok ok… enough of that…" She sighed, "How can I help my friends?"

"Stabilize your magic."

"And how do I do that? Study? Meditation? Drink a potion?"

"Well, There is that, but the potion takes too long to brew, you don't have time to study and the years it takes to meditate will leave you a little old woman. There is an easier way…"

"Yes?"

"I can do it."

"Well then, get to stabilizing, Goblin King."

"I don't think you understand, Sarah. This is a little more complicated then waving my hand or giving you a peach."

He was hidden in shadow now, like he didn't want her to see his face. She crawled to the end of the bed, swinging her legs over the footboard, leaning forward, "What is it Jareth?"

"Sarah, there is so much you don't understand and this is just happening so quickly…"

Sarah laughed again, "You sound like a woman! It's not like we have to have sex, Jareth, for God sake."

He was quiet at that as she stared at him.

"Wait…what?"

A/N: OH SNAP! The next chapter willbe influenced by reviews, folks, so review! I have two possiable outcomes for the next chapter. One is fluffy, the other is Ahhh... 'Wind Blew Through the Curtain.' If you know what I mean. SO! Review.


	19. PART NINETEEN

The Accidental Return

PART NINETEEN

**A/N: Hello! Author here. I tallied the votes from Deviant Art and on . This is the resulting chapter! Thank you for all those that commented, your input made this chapter possible! I'll be posting the second version of this after AR is all finished up. May I also note this is the longest chapter of any of my stories so far. Enjoy!**

**MATURE CONTENT WARNING!**

**(Guess that pretty much gives away who won, right? X3)**

Sarah scooted back into the bed and back into the pillows quickly away from him. She made a noise and jumped off the bed when she registered where she sat. Suddenly she was full of panic. She was only 19, she wasn't ready for this, was she? NO! Her mind screamed, I wasn't ready with Mike Trouper and I'm not ready with Jareth!

Really? Said that little treacherous voice. Because you were just thinking about how he would look without his shirt…

"What the hell is this? You maneuvered me the whole way, didn't you? 'Just fear me, love me, do as I say, and I will be your slave. Let me rule you.' BAH! You tight panted fairy. HORN DOG! I bet that whole shit about not being able to send me back. How could I be so STUPID! Horn Dog!"

She stomped to the door and pulled at it but it wouldn't budge. Like Jareth didn't budge, he stayed at his place in the shadows, watching her, waiting for her to calm down. She went to the window and pushed at the glass, her fingers tracing the edges for a seem, a sash, anything to open it, "How the hell do I get out of here!"

"You can't."

She turned, speechless, her mouth opening and closing furiously. She threw her hands up and went back to the door, kicking at it. She jerked at the handle again, cussing and muttering angrily. Her insides were shaking with fear as her outsides screamed in anger. Was this all he wanted? He brought her back to… to… she didn't even want to think about it.

"It's no use Sarah, you can't leave. You're trapped until I let you out."

She turned back to him, her face dark, "So, what does that mean? You're going to rape me?" She winced at the word. Her step-mother had always worried about Sarah being caught by some man. She had drilled Sarah about taking mace with her when she went out and even signed Sarah up for self defense classes, which Sarah dropped out of frustration.

He took a step from the shadows into the dusty light, surprise and revulsion over his face, "Do you REALLY think I would do such a thing? COULD do such a thing?"

She stood still for a moment and then her shoulders slumped and then lowered her head, "No… You wouldn't. You talk big but you're a gentleman."

"The spell that would stabilize your magic is a very intimate one. There is a considerable amount you do not understand because this world is very different from yours, as you plainly have seen through your travels here. Magic is what makes this world possible and it follows very strict rules. You are the great granddaughter of the last queen of the Underground. By all rights, you should be ruling this land. Please sit down, there is a lot of explaining to do."

You can talk all night, I will never tire of hearing your voice, she thought as she sat back on the bed. Her anger was gone as quickly as it had come, to her disgust. How could he make her calm and docile with just a look? He stood at the foot of the bed, his arms folded over his chest, his eyes locked on her but silent. He looked as if he were trying to find a good place to start. She looked down at the coverlet on the bed, running her fingers over it. It was soft and buttery to the touch, it looked very warm. The blanket was the same color of the shirt he wore, she noticed. His clothes seemed to change with his mood. He wore black now, at least it looked black. His shirt was loose, open so she could see his chest. His pants were like breeches, tucked into his high boots. These seemed to be just his everyday clothes, nothing really special. He cleared his throat and she looked back up at him, startled out of her thoughts.

"When Charlotte was banished from the Underground, my father bound her magic to the land. Her magic is what kept the Underground from becoming just another fairy story. The magic she held is a kind of magic only passed down through generations. I am guessing that when she went to the Aboveground that she wrote down her spells in that book, The Labyrinth. She must have known that she or one of her descendants would return to the Underground someday and they needed a way to reclaim the rightful throne, or something to that degree."

Sarah nodded, it made some sense to her, "So everything I loved and memorized from the book are actually spells?"

"Yes. The wording is a little… strange. Then again, her kind of magic was always strange. I can not tell you how many times I saw her weave her magic; it was very subtle, you didn't know it was working until after you saw the results. One of the results were those last words you spoke to me before you went back-"

"Did you… mean those things you said to me?" She interrupted him.

He was quiet a moment before answering, "Selfishly, yes I did. You reminded me of Charlotte so much but also… your attitude towards me, our banter, your body language; adhered you to me. You, Sarah, not the image of Charlotte." He sighed and cleared his throat uncomfortably, "As I was saying, our last…chat… before you went back to the Aboveground."

He held out a crystal for her. She took it in her hands, feeling the cold glass in her hands as she looked into it, seeing Jareth and herself. She looked so young. Was it really three years ago? She could hear their words as she watched them talking.

"_Give me the child."_

"_Sarah, beware. I have been generous up until now. I can be cruel."_

"_Generous? What have done that was generous?"_

"_EVERYTHING! Everything that you wanted I have done. You asked that child be taken, I took him. You cowered before me and I was frightening. I have reordered time, I have turned the world upside down, and I have done it all for you! I am exhausted from living up to your expectations of me. Isn't that generous?"_

"_Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered, I have fought my way here to the castle beyond the Goblin City to take back the child that you have stolen, for my will is as strong as yours, and -"_

"_Stop! Wait…Sarah, look what I'm offering you. You're dreams."_

Sarah looked up at Jareth as the little movie in the bubble played. He looked pained, his eyes tight as he too, watched the movie. She looked back down.

"…_and my kingdom as great."_

"_I ask for so little, just let me rule you! And you can have… everything… that you want."_

"_Kingdom as great… damn! I can never remember that line."_

"_Just fear me, love me, do as I say, and I will be your slave."_

"_My kingdom as great…my kingdom as great… You have no power over me."_

The little bubble burst as that, making Sarah jump. Jareth turned, sighing heavily through his nose. Sarah rubbed her hands together, still feeling the cold from the bubble.

"You tried to stop me." She said quietly.

"I saw what was happening. I could see it. I didn't realize before who or what you were, just that you had to be stopped. You had some kind of magic around you that wasn't there when I brought you to the Underground. Usually the person who wishes away a child just gives up, leaving the child for me to have. I take it to where it will be taken care of and then go about my business. You on the other hand, are the first to solve my labyrinth and actually take back a child. You were and are very special. I know why now. Those words unlocked the bindings my father put on Charlotte's magic. You inherited your rightful power. It's been building since you left the Underground."

"Its subtle you said… I wouldn't really notice it… Like if I couldn't find something, it would suddenly appear in a place I already looked…" She thought back to all the times that had happened. Then she remembered what had happened since she came here: the ropes, the bangle, maybe even things she didn't realize.

He turned back to her, his arms still crossed over his open shirt, "Yes. You're untrained in magic, so its becoming unstable. If you want to help your friends, it would have to become stable to be of any help to them."

"You said that before, the stabilizing. We would have to… have… have… sex." She swallowed, her face suddenly becoming hot.

"No, Sarah. This spell I have to perform to help you, I do have to share myself with you. My control will stabilize your magic. My ability to use magic will allow you to use yours. It is done between a man and a woman, a king and his new queen. A sharing of power. It's very intimate, very close to sex, without the intercourse."

She nodded, her eyes downcast. She was too embarrassed to meet his eyes, "Like cramming years of study into a single session. You'd do like a…Vulcan Mind-meld kind of thing." She said quietly.

"I do not know what a Vulcan Mind-meld is, but your analogy about studying is true, in a simple way."

She looked up suddenly, "I don't understand how you do that."

"Do what?" He looked at her, turning slightly.

"Insult me without insulting me."

He blinked at her and then smiled sheepishly. She liked how his eyeteeth were slightly more prominent, pointed, a clear sign to the predator he was. She noticed for the first time he wasn't wearing gloves. Every time she had seen him, he wore gloves in some color or fabric. His hands were soft looking but very strong. She stared at them, her face growing hot again.

"Are you willing to try, Sarah?"

She looked up into his eyes, "It will help my friends. But first, will you let Hoggle and Didymus go? If I'm trying to help my friends, I would like to know the ones you took from me will be ok."

His face become hard, then softened as he shrugged, "It's done."

"Just like that?"

"I have to admit I only did that to them to hurt you. I was being… vindictive. With what were about to do, we're taking care of two birds with one arrow."

"What do you mean?"

He came around to sit on the bed by her. She was sitting in the middle of the large bed again, and the bed was large. She thought it was bigger then her whole bedroom. Even sitting in the middle of the bed, he seemed so close to her.

"The Fairy Queen."

Sarah jerked as he spoke.

"The Fairy Queen is a pain in my side and I wish to be rid of her."

"I thought you were suppose to marry her?"

"I was, but after what she has done, I do not think she is the kind of woman to rule the Underground, let alone rule the fairies."

"I see what you mean. Couldn't you see what she was before you agreed to marry her?"

"She's a very good actress and she… well… we don't need to go into details. Are you ready?"

Sarah thought a moment, thinking about what he was going to say. He couldn't have loved her, he already made those kinds of feelings very clear. He was probably going to say something about her being good in bed, but she dismissed that thought. "How can I be ready for something like this? But lets get it over with anyway."

Jareth nodded and stood, removing his shirt. Sarah jerked and pulled a pillow over her body, "Wait a second! You said it wasn't sex!"

"Yes, I did. But I also said it was very close to sex. There must be as much skin contact as possible."

"Oh… oh God…" She covered her eyes as he started out of his boots and then his breeches. She buried her face in her pillow as he felt the covers slide back and she knew he was under them.

"Oh God oh God oh God…"

"Sarah?"

"OhGodohGodohGod…"

"Sarah, you have to undress."

"OH GOD." Her voice came out in a panicked squeak.

"I won't look, I promise."

She could hear the smile in his voice. She peeked over her pillow and saw the sheets covered his hips, barely. Her eyes traveled from the edge of the sheet up over his stomach to his bare chest and shoulders, he looked so… so… she couldn't think of the word. His muscles were so well defines under his skin. His skin was so creamy and soft looking she wanted to reach out and touch it but she just buried her head again instead, moaning, "OH GOD."

"Sarah, every second, your friends are being tortured by the Fairy Queen."

Sarah sighed, "Close your eyes!"

He smiled and closed his eyes, even putting a hand over them dramatically. She sighed and crawled under the covers as far as she could from him before removing her shoes. They thunked onto the floor, the sheets making a stiff rustling as she popped her hands under the sheet back and forth, each shoe to the floor then her socks. The sheets were as dark as the blankets and she found that a little vulgar. She removed her over shirt and then her t-shirt. She noticed how dirty they were and was a little ashamed. She shimmied out of her jeans and piled them on top of her shirts that were on top of her shoes. She did not remove her bra and panties, though she knew Jareth had to be buck naked. She didn't dare imagine what kind of underwear he would wear under his tight pants.

"Oh Goooood." She moaned and she covered her eyes.

Jareth peeked between his fingers, a smirk spreading across his face, "Took you long enough."

She looked at him from over the top of the sheet she had pulled up to her chin, "Don't you dare start that with me. This is hard enough. Oh GOD, what I do for my friends."

His face softened, "I'm sorry."

That startled her into lowering her sheet to look at him, "You are?"

"I am. You are very brave and you are a very good friend. I wish I had someone who would do such things for me."

This made Sarah feel a little better. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, "SO! What do we do?"

Suddenly he was very close, she didn't even heard the sheets move. The bed hangings dropped, sending them into darkness. She made a little noise, looking around wildly. Had this been a hoax? Had he just said all those things to have his way with her?

"Jareth?" She squeaked.

She felt a hand on her bare leg and it made her shiver, but she didn't jerk away. The darkness was pierced by a soft glowing. The glow revealed Jareth, only a few inches from her. She felt his shoulder press to hers, the left side of his body pressing to her right side as he turned his body slight so the glowing orb he held in his palm bathed them both in even, soft pearly light. Sarah stared at the orb, her fear melting away in the soft light. Her hand found the one he had on her leg and she laced her fingers in his. His hands were as soft as they looked.

"What now?" She asked quietly, breathlessly.

His eyes are so clear, she thought as he leaned forward. His dark eye so warm and brown, the blue one like the summer sky. The silver above his eyes were like tattoos. His smell over powered her. She knew what the underlying smell to him was, the one she couldn't identify before. It was magic. Magic, she thought as he pressed his lips to hers. The glowing orb pressed between their bodies as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders, unable to help herself. She moved closer to him, her legs tangling into his. The heat of his body was like a fever. The warmth she wanted all for herself.

There was a stronger light now, she saw when she opened her eyes. They were inches apart, he breathed heavily, his chest heaving. She felt his excitement against her thigh. She didn't mind it, it actually excited her a little in a fearful, anticipated way. She saw the smoldering look in his eyes again, but it was stronger. It was a fire that would burn them both alive if it could. She took a deep shaking breath and looked around. The light was so strong. She looked down at her arms that were still wrapped around his shoulders and she moved them so her hands were locked behind his head, in his wheat colored hair.

Her skin glowed brightly, iridescent white against the whiteness of her bra. He seemed to glow too. His lips were peach colored and she smiled at that. His tongue ran over the peach color skin, "Sarah." His voice was husky.

"Yes?"

"Kiss me."

She didn't need to be told twice. Her breath heaved in her chest as she pressed her body as close as she could to his as she tangled her fingers in his hair. His large soft hands gently slid over her hips and up her back, making her shiver.

She had had boyfriends. She knew how to kiss, but this was different. It was like the flying. She could feel her body soaring. And then it was falling. She felt scared and unsure as she broke the kiss and pressed her face into his shoulder, shaking wildly.

"It's ok," he whispered in her ear, stroking her hair gently, "This is apart of it. Your magic is equalizing. I won't let you go."

She felt tears leave her eyes in hot streams. She pressed closer to him, almost to the point her arms hurt from using her muscles. She wrapped her legs around his waist, sitting on his lap. Her breath caught as she felt like a million tiny hands catch her as she fell. It was so light, the touches, and she felt the fall slowing. Her breath sped up as a warmth gathered in her belly and started spreading through her. She leaned away from Jareth, leaning back, her arms falling back as she head rolled back. She stared up at the top of the canopy but didn't see it. She saw the whole of the Underground passing through her sight. The glittery forest, the Labyrinth, the Ocean of Grass, the Deep Freeze, Hidden Valley, Glass Sea, goblins, fairies, unicorns, bats, birds, insects, worms, trees, vines, shrubs, stones, rocks, rivers, streams, blades of grass; it all flashed before her before she fell onto Jareth. Her body stopped quivering slowly.

His body felt cool to her and then she realized how hot her own body was. Her breath was even as she leaned away from Jareth to look in his eyes and she could see the magic in the back of them. She pressed her hands to his cheeks and rested her lips on his and the fire became hotter. She felt the need rise in her suddenly. Her need of him.

"Sarah," He gasped as he pulled back, "It's finished."

She took a deep shaking breath as she sat up, her hands pressing to her mouth. She held her hands out, her palms down, looking at them, at the glittering glow that seemed to come off her skin. Her skin was clearer, no freckles or blemishes, no scratched or scars and then the glow seemed to fade slowly. She looked past her hands to his chest and she realized she was still sitting across his hips.

"Sarah?" Jareth asked quietly.

She didn't seem to hear him as she stared down at his chest. She pressed her hands to his chest and moved her hands over it, feeling the muscle definition. His shoulders, his arms, his neck.

She took a deep, shuttering breath, "Jareth."

He looked up at her and then gripped her arms, pushing her to the side and into the pillows, almost crushing her into them. She wrapped her arms around him, coming up to meet him as he kissed her again and again. Again, she couldn't help but feel as if he were trying to swallow her whole.

"No…" He stopped and tried to move away but she grabbed his arm.

"I want…" Her voice trailed off. He looked at her. Even in the darkness of the false night, she could see him. It was the glow from both of their skin.

"It's the magic, you're drunk on it." He said quietly. He pushed her away gently, "Sarah, I will not force you into this."

"I want it, Jareth. I want you."

"Are you sure?"

"I think… it was always suppose to be this way, Jareth. Something inside me is screaming for you and only you."

He smiled, as if relieved, and scooped her up into his arms, pressing her into the pillows. His hands quickly found the clasps of her bra and undid them, slowly. He sled the materiel away from her skin and tossed it aside. She could see him clearly as she knew he could see her. He saw her, all of her. He took her in slowly, his eyes wandering over her body hungrily. She lay back, her hands above her head, her hair pooling around her shoulders as he hooked his index fingers under the elastic band of her panties and shimmied them down. They were discarded with her bra.

Her body was young and whole. It had a slight tan from her swimming classes, soft where it needed to be. She wasn't chubby but she wasn't skinny either. His hands slid slowly up her inner thighs over her hips and across her belly. They slid around her breasts and up to her cheeks where he gently kissed her lips. Her skin was alive and rippled under his touch. Her body invited him. She slid her arms around his neck and pulled him on top of her.

She felt him pressing against her thigh again and she opened her legs to him. He took a breath, catching it in his chest and grunted slightly.

"Softly." She said quietly.

She buried her face into his shoulder as he moved slowly through her. She wasn't drunk on magic, but she could get drunk on his smell. It overwhelmed her. He made a startling noise as she clinched her eyes shut, moaning in pain and pleasure.

"I didn't know." He said as he started to move out.

"Don't stop." She rose her hips to stop him from moving.

"But Sarah…"

"Jareth."

She wasn't sure if that was what did it, her pleading lust or his own carnal need. He moved into her again, slowly, and she gasped, falling back, her hands moving to his hips to feel him as he moved into her. His lips traced her ear and over her chin, down her neck. She rolled her head back as he kissed her shoulder lightly.The warmth was a fire in her belly again, but it was different. She could stand this forever and again. The fire pushed out over her body as she felt him moving quicker with urgency. It built up slowly and then exploded into stars around them. Sarah cried out as he locked his mouth over hers. He said something, but there was a roaring in her ears she couldn't explain. She felt light as he pressed on her, hard. He pushed harder then he had and she gasped into his mouth. He smiled and laughed quietly. He fell away from her and she pressed herself to his side, shaking. She felt the fine sheen of sweat over his body, knowing she had one herself. She let her breathing slow as the warm settled through her again. She took a shuttering sigh and smiled, murmuring softly into his skin, kissing it. She slipped her arm over his chest and her leg over his hip, anything to be as close to him as she could be. She didn't feel tired, she felt she could take on anybody, anything. She felt good. As they lay there, she could feel the soreness between her legs, but it was a good hurt. She could stand it. If she could take a warm bath, it would probably stop.

She sighed, resting her chin on his shoulder. He turned and kissed her forehead, "I love you, Sarah."

"And I think… I've always loved you, Jareth. I was made for you."

He chuckled lightly, wrapping his arm around her, "How do you feel?"

"Like I could save the world." She snuggled into the crook of his arm.

"Good, because you will have to."

* * *

Out in the garden, Hoggle fell over. He cussed and stood up, rubbing his head, "How the hell did I get out here?"

* * *

A/N Agian: So I couldn't wait. X3!!


	20. PART TWENTY

The Accidental Return

PART TWENTY

Sarah stretched out on the bed on her side, watching as Jareth slipped from under the sheets onto the floor. The bed hangings rolled up by themselves, but Sarah wasn't startled. She rather expected it by now. Jareth padded around the four posters to a large door. It was the door she had pounded at and when he opened it, it was a closet. She laughed out loud and rolled onto her back, covering her eyes, "Oh, it's not fair!"

Jareth laughed as he walked deeper into the closet. The closet was long but narrow, Sarah sat up to watch him look at clothes, which hung on rocks on either side on the walls. It seemed normal enough. Straight back, she could see a bathroom and she remembered her needs. She hadn't thought about using a bathroom since she came to the Underground and as she remembered, she suddenly had to go worse then any day in her life. She slipped out of the bed, pulling a sheet around her. Jareth looked up at her sudden movement and smiled at her modesty. She ran past him into the bathroom and shut the heavy door.

She could hear him laughing through the door and stuck her tongue out at it. She let the sheet fall into a heap against the wood of the door and looked around. The bathroom was very large, but not as big as the bedroom. Where the bedroom was decorated in shades of dark reds and blacks, this room was very light. It made her feel better to be in such a light colored room, she felt normal. The sink, well, sinks, for there were at least seven dotting the walls, were made of marble. The gold spouts that were mounted on the walls for the sinks were fashioned into different goblins heads, the water coming out their mouth, nose, or ears. A shower was in the middle of the room in a deep recession of the floor. The shower head was another goblin head, looking down. She walked around the room, looking at everything slowly, taking it in and smiling at the whimsicalness of the fixtures. Large gilded mirrors were spaces evenly along the walls. Sarah stopped to look in one. She smiled at her reflection and it smiled back at her.

There was a bathtub as big as a hot tub in a kind of window box. The window overlooked the labyrinth. There were doors on either side of the tub and she took a peek into each one. One was a closet for towels and she took one of these out. It was fluffy and white, almost as big as a blanket. The other door was a toilet. She sighed with happiness, taking advantage of it. She came out of the toilet closet feeling more human. She looked longingly at the tub but settled for a quick shower instead.

She went to the shower, looking around it. She hadn't seen anything that looked like soap, there were no cabinets in the room, just the closets. She set her towel down on the marble floor by the shower and stepped down into the hole. She squeaked when glass walls suddenly appeared around her and the shower came on. The water was not too hot or cold, which she was happy for. A little shelf on one of the glass walls held a large brick of pink soap and she sniffed at it. Rose soap. She ran her hands over it, making a fine lather and ran her soapy hands through her hair.

Her long few days in the Underground made her appreciate every second in this fine bathroom with it even finer shower. The water became a little warmer and she felt her sore muscles unknotting slowly. Dirt, grass, and sweat washed down the drain at her bare feet. The pleasant soreness between her legs vanished. She ran more soap over her body and then let the water pound at her for a moment before she stepped away from it and it stopped. The walls vanished and she grabbed her towel, wrapping it around her. She walked up the little steps she noticed at one side of the shower and left the bathroom feeling so much better.

Jareth stood at a window, dressed. She remembered the outfit from when he surprised her and Hoggle in the oubliette. One of her personal favorites. His arms were crossed as he stared out at something. He turned when she made a little sound in her throat, "Ah."

"I feel better, thank you." She smiled sheepishly.

"You do look better, I must say. Smell better too." He came closer, resting his gloved hands on her shoulders and kissing her cheek.

She shivered at the feel of his gloves on her bare skin. No, she couldn't give into that urge again, no matter how she felt. She had business to take care of. She smacked his arm, playfully, "You have some bathroom there, Goblin King."

"I enjoy it." he said with a smile, moving to the closet, shutting the door then reopened it. He held a hand out to Sarah and she went to him, peeking inside. The clothes were no longer jackets, boots, and capes, but jeans, blouses, and sneakers. It looked like her own closet at home.

"I love magic." She grinned. She entered the closet and saw he still stared at her, a hungry look in his eyes.

She waved goodbye with her fingers and shut the closet door, the light from the bathroom was enough for her to find what she needed. She found bras and panties, all in her size she saw. She slipped into some, feeling racy, she picked some out that were red and lacy. She felt pretty as she walked into the bathroom to take a look at herself. She noticed some hair ties on a counter and grabbed one, braiding her wet hair quickly. She went back to the clothes, pulling on a pair of jeans. She looked over the shirts and picked out a simple black t-shirt and she noticed in light gold script across the chest said, "I -Heart- Goblins." The heart was a fancy white heart with little thorns around it. She found socks and picked out a pair of black Chuck Taylor's. She walked back into the bedroom and plopped on the bed, which she noticed was made. She shrugged and pulled on her socks, then the shoes.

"I feel human again." She said, standing and stretching her arms up over her head as far as they would go. The shirt rose a few inches and the jeans slipped down slightly as she sucked in her stomach. Her red panties peeked over the top of her jeans, making Jareth raise his eyebrows, the hungry look becoming fierce and far away. She stopped stretching, her clothes settling back into place.

"I heart Goblins?" He asked, looking at her shirt, snapping back to the present.

She shrugged, "It's your closet."

"It supplies what I need, or you need in this case, based on personality."

Sarah covered a grin, thinking about what she had seen of his clothes. She coughed, making her face serious, "Where do we go from here?"

"How do you feel?" he asked, standing close to her.

"I feel fine, like I said before." She looked up at him, puzzled.

"Close your eyes for me and clear your mind."

"Ok, but that might be a little hard." She licked her lips, looking up at him.

He smirked, "Just do it, please."

She sighed and shook her hands out, closing her eyes, taking a deep breath, then let it out slowly. She stood for a moment, "What am I suppose to be doing?"

"Look inside yourself. Do you feel a… hm… how do I describe this?" She could feel him walking around her.

She took another deep breath and let it out slowly, looking inward to herself. She felt good, rested, even if she hadn't slept in a while, was bitten by a fairy, injected with poison, and then had… er… a magical, moving experience. Oh, she felt it. A little ball of fire. It was warm and coppery. She nudged it and it sparkled, reacting to her pleasantly. She opened her eyes and smiled, "I love magic."

"Oh? Oooh." He said as he looked at her. She guessed he was looking at her aura again. She looked at the bed and the hangings fell and then rolled back up. She looked over at the closet and the door opened into a hallway.

"Ah hah." She walked to the door then looked back at Jareth, "Coming?"

"Oh… yes." he followed her, a smile on his face.

They came out into the garden, which was weedy and over grown. Sarah huffed, making a face. He looked at her puzzled, but didn't ask. She muttered darkly about it being as over grown as the rest of the Underground when Hoggle came around a shrub and stopped, "Sarah!"

"Hoggle!"

She kneeled awkwardly to hug him. He seemed to check her out to make sure she was ok. He saw Jareth and jumped in front of her, "Sarah! Run, I'll hold him off!"

"Hoggle, no, it's alright."

Jareth stood back, amused. Sarah patted Hoggle's shoulder, "It's ok."

Hoggle stood, confused, "Did I miss something? One moment, he's making you run the Labyrinth again, and the next…"

"You were stone, Hoggle. It's been like…two days." She turned to Jareth, "Where is Sir Didymus?"

"CHAAAARGE!"

"Never mind," Sarah said as Sir Didymus and Lancelot charged Jareth from behind. Jareth blinked out and appeared behind Didymus. Lancelot halted quickly, throwing Didymus into the air. Sarah caught him. He kicked in her arms, "Let me down! I'll fight him to the death! I'll send him crying home to him mother! Cannons to the left to me! Cannons to the right of me!"

"DIDYMUS!"

"My lady?" He asked quietly, looking up at her.

She sighed and set him down, "Jareth is a friend."

"Friend?" Hoggle sputtered, "After everything he's done?"

Jareth only raised a brow, looking at them smugly. Sarah put her hands on her hips, "I say he's a friend. Things have…happened… that have changed the situation."

"He's no friend of mine!" Hoggle said, stubbornly.

"That's fine Hoggle." Sarah said absently, "Anyway, like I said, changes. It's too long of a story to go into now, but what you do need to know is that the Fairy Queen has Ludo and David captured on Doggle's ship."

"Fairy Queen? David? DOGGLE!" Hoggle sputtered.

"My brother, captured! To ARMS! I shall not let this stand!" He mounted Lancelot, waving his sword scepter around.

Sarah sighed, putting a hand over her eyes. Hoggle was muttering to himself, fondling the rope of jewels at his side. She looked down at him, crossing her arms over his chest, "Hoggle?"

"What? Wha… oh. Aaaah. Good luck."

"Hog--gle!"

"What do you want me to do? I don't know who David is or who this Fairy Queen is to anyone. Besides Jareth was suppose to marry her… I guess that's out." He took a peek at Jareth and looked back up at Sarah, "I am not going to Doggle's ship. I like my feet on the ground if its all the same to you."

"I could turn him into stone again." Jareth suggested.

Hoggle jumped and cowered behind Sarah. Sarah gave Jareth a look that would peel paint, "You aren't helping."

"Sorry." Jareth said with a smile.

Sarah rolled her eyes, "Hoggle, please. I need all the help I can get. I need you."

Hoggle looked up at her then sighed, "If you need me."

"And me, my lady?" Didymus asked quietly. Lancelot woofed, as if asking too.

"Of course Didymus. I need you all. You're my friends and I need my friends." She kneeled and hugged Hoggle and then Didymus. Hoggle blushed and Didymus waved his sword scepter again when Sarah stood, "I'll fight them all for my lady and my brother! TO BATTLE! TO BATTLE! To battle? Where is the battle?"

Sarah looked over at Jareth, "What do you think?"

"I will follow you, Sarah." His eyes twinkled.

She smiled and then turned to Hoggle and Didymus.

"Bear with me. I'm still learning."

"Learning?" Hoggle asked and then squawked as he was trapped in a bubble.

"MY LADY!" Didymus said in wonder as he and Lancelot were lifted into the air in their own bubble.

Jareth grinned, "Well done, Sarah."

She turned to him, "Race you." The bubble with Hoggle and Didymus followed her as her body shrank and there was a pop. A glossy black crow hopped on the ground where Sarah stood and took off into the rust colored sky.

Jareth laughed deeply, "Ah, Sarah."


	21. PART TWENTY ONE

The Accidental Return

PART TWENTY ONE

The sky was dark, clouds covering the stars and moon. Ludo was whimpering where the fairies had left him. They had grown bored of the walking rug and had moved onto the goblin crew. Doggle was yelling profanities at the Fairy Queen as she stood at the helm. The ship was anchored over the Goblin City, her eyes on the castle. She narrowed them as a white spec flew from the castle gardens. The city was quiet, only the slightest movement every now and then. Her fingers gripped the wheel of the ship and the wood splintered under her hands. She turned, walking to the rail and looked down. Her shadow was menacing in the half light all the fairies created. It was like a thousand candles floating about. It was the only light on the ship and it was spooky. The only sound was Doggle's cussing, Ludo's whimpering, and the sound of a thousand wings.

Since Sarah had jumped over the rail, the Queen had hoped to see her mangled body on the ground. She had also hoped, at least, to smell the whores blood, but no. She had felt a spike of magic, she thought it was just a fluke. Jareth coming to the whores rescue, maybe. But after she had broken that bird… no… that might not have been Jareth at all. She had seen that owl leaving the castle only moments before.

"I should have sent her to the middle of a desert…" The Queen muttered darkly. "The Sea of Glass wasn't good enough. She should have been sliced up and bled to death in the middle of no where..." The rail splintered like the wheel under her fingers. "How did she survive! Jareth's pet human! Did he save her? Did my spell fail?"

The cloud of fairies shifted around her, feeling her anger.

"YOU PSYCHO!" Doggle yelled, "You can't hurt her! You could never hurt her, you fool!"

The Queen turned, staring at Doggle as a bird would a worm, "Why, my dear little half breed, could I not hurt her?"

Doggle's eyes widened. He didn't expect her to actually listen to him. He felt stupid now, more then stupid. He was an idiot.

"I… I… uh…"

The Queen disappeared from where she stood. Doggle gasped as she knelt in front of him suddenly, her face inches from his. The over powering smell of roses filled his nose. The smell of roses and magic. He wanted to gag as she gripped his shoulders. He winced, her grip like iron. Her thin boney fingers dug into his flesh as she shook him, her teeth gritting in rage, "TELL ME!"

"You're… hurting me.."

"I'll do more then just hurt you, you little dirt clod. Tell me what you meant. Why can't I hurt her?"

Doggle squealed, kicking, "I don't know! I don't know! I was only guessing! She looked like her! It was only a glimpse but she looked so much like HER!"

"Like who, you little shit? WHO!"

"Well, I could say I look like Jennifer Connelly, but that would be a stretch." A voice said from the rail.

The Queen turned, hissing in surprise. Doggle gave a cry of relief as Sarah stood on the rail, perfectly balanced. Her arms crossed over her chest, if her hair had been free, it would had blown theatrically in the wind. The bubbles that held Hoggle and Didymus burst, releasing them onto the deck.

"HAVE AT THEE!" Didymus cried as Lancelot sat and scratched a flea. Didymus sighed and poked Lancelot in the rump to get him to stand, "Come on, Lancelot, we have a battle to win!"

Hoggle landed on his butt. He scrambled to stand and limp/ran over to the hostages. He started untying them, Doggle looking at him gratefully. "It's about time you do something useful." He said to his brother.

"It's about time you shut the hell up." Hoggle said.

The Queen was focused on Sarah, her eyes narrowing, "I knew it was too much to hope for. Your mangled body broken on the streets of the Goblin City."

"If hope was candy, your ass would be huuuuge." Sarah said, jumping down to the desk. She moved with a grace she didn't have before. She felt the magic coursing around her, guiding her to what she needed to do.

"Well said." Jareth said from the wheel. He leaned his back against it, his arms folded, watching. The Queen looked up at him, "Did you come to defend your little whore?"

"No, actually. She can defend herself quite well. I just came to watch. Oh… and maybe even up the score." He rolled a crystal orb to the tips of his fingers and then tossed it into the air. It exploded and rain started to fall over the deck.

"Lemon juice!" The Queen cried as her children began to drop to the deck, twitching. She looked at Jareth, "How could you! We were to be married!"

"I doubt that's what you had in mind, my dear." Jareth said, looking bored. As all the other inhabitants of the deck were soaked in a fine mist of lemon juice, he stayed dry.

The Queen bared her teeth, turning to Sarah, "How did you survive the Sea of Glass? How did you survive my venom?"

Sarah smiled, winking, "It's a secret."

The Queen screamed and rushed to the rail. Sarah reached out but the Queen jumped over the side. Sarah leaned over it to watch as the Queen dropped to the ground, as if she didn't fall almost a mile through the air. Sarah looked up at Jareth and then stepped backwards. She slowly faded from sight. Doggle cried out but Hoggle shook his head, "Don't worry about it. The little lady can take care of herself."

Didymus woofed, "I didn't even get to fight." He sighed and went to Ludo, "Come my brother."

"WOTCHER!" David yelled as Doggle stood, wobbling. The little worm crawled out of Doggle's coat pocket.

"AH! Sir David!" Didymus cried.

"Right, I've been trapped in there by the ropes, what the 'ell 'appened?" He said as Doggle put him onto Didymus's shoulder and went to arrange his men and began calling out orders to land.

"A valiant story full of sadness and adventure! But then again, you know more then I, since I was trapped in a bubble for the last day and night. There is still much to be done! Lady Sarah went to fight the evil queen!"

Nearby, Lancelot scooped a fairy into his mouth, gagged and spit it out.

* * *

Sarah faded back in. She looked around. They were in the forest again. She hated this place, even if was beautiful. She could feel the Queen somewhere in this area and she followed that feeling to a large clearing. She stood at the edge of it, the Queen stood in the middle with her back to Sarah. Her arms were out, her palms down to the ground. Sarah looked around and noticed the grass starting to turn brown. The trees started to turn red, as if it were autumn and Sarah realized as she watched this patch of the Underground die, the Queen was sucking the magic from the very earth to gain power over Jareth.

Sarah gasped in horror as the Queen turned, her eyes lit with a new fire, "Came to finish me off, WHORE?" The Queen spat.

Sarah no longer thought this woman was beautiful. She had taken on a new quality. Her long silky hair was twisted and tangled, her peerless skin was pock marked from lemon juice. Her clothes were stained from the muddy earth she stood on. Her face was twisted in rage. Sarah stepped closer, "You know it, you nasty flying insect."

The Queen laughed at that and brought her hands up. Mirrors thrust from the ground like jagged rocks. Sarah grit her teeth as one of the mirror caught her pant leg and ripped it, taking a few lays of her skin from her ankle. She dodged the mirrors the best she could, watching her reflection reach out for her, as they tried when she first met the Fairy Queen.

"Reusing old tricks?" Sarah taunted, "I could say you took a page out of Jareth's book."

The Queen screamed and rushed at Sarah. Sarah grinned and side stepped her. Sarah moved her hand in a swiping motion and a deep pit of mud appeared before the Queen. She fell in with a sucking splat. The Queen sputtered, struggling to sit up as the mud coated her from head to toe. She screamed as she also realized besides the muck, she smelled. Sarah had taken the liberty to make the mud out of Bog of Eternal Stench water.

"HOW!" She shrieked, "How are you doing this?!"

Sarah sat on a rock that rose to seat her. She thanked it and crossed her legs, looking at the Fairy Queen.

"Well, it is rather a complicated story. I still don't know how I can here a second time. I do know that my great grandmother was the last Queen of the Underground. Sorry, love, you never stood a chance to take the throne as queen. Besides Jareth not loving you, you just had too much history and legend against you."

The Queen grit her teeth, spitting out a clump of mud. Sarah restrained a laugh and blinked as the Queen disappeared and reappeared before Sarah. She wrapped her hands around Sarah neck and lifted her off her rocky seat.

"You stupid, smug whore _bitch_." The Queen spat into Sarah's face and Sarah struggled against her. She felt all her weight being supported onto the Queen's hands as she was lifted into the air and it was choking her. She also felt her magic draining from her as the Queen's spell, or however she stole magic, worked on her. Sarah kicked as the Queen stood to her full height, which was a good foot taller then Sarah.

Sarah began to feel light headed, the edges of her vision going gray. She breathed in deeply and then out. She fell to the ground, coughing violently. She rolled onto her back, looking up at the sky and smiled as she let her throat stop throbbing slowly. Nearby she heard the tiny sound of something hitting glass. It was like the tinkling of silver bells.

She heard Jareth chuckle nearby and she sat up slowly. Jareth leaned against a tree holding an orb. He was looking at the thing inside, smiling, "Well done, Sarah."

Sarah opened her mouth to speak, but no voice came out. She shook her head slowly and smiled, waving a hand. Jareth chuckled and walked over, skirting the mud pit and held a hand out to her. She took it, pulling herself up. Jareth ran a hand over her throat slowly, making her shiver. She felt the pain leave her slowly and after a minute, she could talk again. She took the orb from him, looking into it. Inside, the Fairy Queen beat her fists against the glass, screaming soundlessly.

"I couldn't kill her." Sarah said, surprised how sad her voice sounded.

"I didn't think you could." Jareth said quietly.

"No matter what she did, how badly she had hurt my friends or what she did to the Underground…" Sarah said as she stared into the orb. She looked to Jareth and flinched as a fire built in her chest. She staggered into him and clutched her chest. The orb fell from her fingers as Jareth wrapped a hand around her, "Sarah?"

"Sarah?"


	22. PART TWENTY TWO

The Accidental Return  
PART TWENTY TWO

"Sarah?"  
"Is she ok?"  
"That looked really bad."  
"She isn't bleeding."  
Light stabbed at her eyes as she opened them slowly. She saw the shadow of a woman looking at her and she shrieked, throwing her hands up. It was the Fairy Queen!  
"Is she having a fit?" Someone cried.  
"SARAH!" Her coach cried, holding her down gently, "Sarah, it's ok! You're ok!"  
Sarah panted, looking around. Her coach helped her sit up slowly. She was home and it was like the last time she had left the Underground. Nothing changed. Only a few minutes had passed. She still felt wet from the pool, her hair hanging down her back like straggles of seaweed. The coach wrapped a towel around her shoulders, "Come on, Williams. Lets get you to the nurse and have that goose egg looked at."  
Sarah felt like she was in a dream. Was this real or had the Underground been real? She couldn't tell anymore as her eyes filled with tears.

* * *

The days rushed by her so quickly, she barely noticed them anymore. Night to day, day to night, they all seemed the same. Her father thought her sleepless nights had been a product of graduation jitters. The days leading up to graduation had been a flurry of packing and party planning. They packed up Sarah's room for college. The morning of graduation, she stood in her doorway, looking at her empty room. She could hear Toby down the hall in his room, playing with his trucks.  
She was leaving for Boston the next day. She would live with her mother for the summer before moving into the dorms. Her mother was staying in a hotel for the last few days, she had arrived by surprise the same day that Sarah hit her head on the diving board. It was a huge surprise when her mother drew back the hospital curtain, crying about her baby being hurt. Sarah's father had not been too happy to see Linda, but he had allowed her to stay with Sarah as Sarah had a MRI to make sure she was ok.  
She was, she just had a bump on the head, which had reduced in size over the last few days. When she got home from the hospital, she immediately went to fine her book. She looked through all the crates in the crawl space, her secret spot, and under her bed. She couldn't find the tattered red book with Labyrinth stenciled in fading gold letters on the front. She had asked her mother if she remembered the story and her mother confessed she had never actually read the book. It was just a possession inherited from her grandmother.  
Sarah turned when she heard her father calling her from downstairs. She walked by the hall mirror, giving herself a once over. She couldn't find her diamond earrings or the bangle bracelet either. She stared at herself in the mirror, not seeing herself. Karen had twisted her hair up elegantly. She wore a white dress that was sort of styled from the 50's. She wore pearls and white high heels. Her mother had picked out the outfit after Sarah sad she was just going to wear jeans. She didn't even want to go to graduation. She kept thinking back to… to…  
Sarah sighed wetly and went downstairs.

* * *

The house was filled with people Sarah didn't know. She hadn't changed after the ceremony, Karen wanted her to stay nice for pictures. She heard her mother's high laughter from the dining room at the center of a cluster of men. Sarah could see Jeremy, her mother's boyfriend, standing in the doorway, his eyes lit with love. Sarah shuttered and turned, thinking once again tonight, how much Jeremy looked like Jareth.  
She couldn't let her thoughts go that way, not right now. She had to maneuver through people and avoid Mike Trouper. He had kept trying to corner her all night and she wouldn't let him even utter a word to her. Why was he even there? Was Karen trying to get them back together because Sarah couldn't stand it.  
If she could, she would just make him disappear and she had actually tried but her magic, if she even had any, wasn't working. She ducked upstairs and closed her bedroom door, keeping it dark incase anyone came upstairs looking for her, her light wouldn't give her away. She sagged against the door and sighed. She sat on her bed. She leaned back to lay down and jumped up as if she had been electrified.  
There was someone in her bed!  
"Mike!" She hissed and turned on the light. It wasn't Mike.  
"Jareth!" She breathed.  
He lay across her bed, smiling at her, her favorite smiled, where he showed his pointy teeth. He stood, looking down at her and took her hand, kissing her palm then pulled her into a dance. He whirled her around her small room and she laughed, closing her eyes. When she opened them, surprised at the change in light, she saw they were back in the Underground, in a large ballroom. It was all white marble with candle stands everywhere. He wore his dark blue coat with the gems on the shoulders and a frothy white shirt under it. What she thought of his peach outfit. She grinned up at him as they spun until she was dizzy.  
They finally stopped and she wrapped her arms around his neck, hugging him, "I thought I was going crazy!"  
He hugged her gently, "You almost did."  
"What?" She stepped back from him, to look at him.  
"Your return to the Underground was an accident, Sarah. At least I think it was. I've been thinking about this since you had returned to the Underground. The magic that binds you here was in flux and you got jerked back. I think it did it on purpose to some point, because it knew it was in danger and it needed help. Then it sent you back when the danger passed. I watched as you faded away and I returned, watching you at the hospital and then around your home. You looked beautiful today, and still do, I have to say." He kissed her cheek as she blushed.  
"Your mind was in chaos, I could see it on your face and in your eyes. I wanted to tell you what had happened but you always seemed surrounded by people and then… oddly… I got another runner in the Labyrinth. I hadn't had time to return for you until now."  
Sarah breathed out, laughing. She took a few steps back, careful of her balance on the heels. Jareth looked at her, confused. She shook her head, "I thought I was mad. Another dream like before. Why wouldn't my magic work there?"  
"Your magic is the magic of the Underground. It only works here. The big stuff anyway. If you needed to find something in the Aboveground…"  
She nodded and turned back to Jareth, "Where's…"  
He held up the orb with the Fairy Queen. She was still screaming madly. Jareth looked at her in her little prison and then juggled her away again.  
"Hoggle finds her the best lamp he ever had." Jareth said, smiling cruelly.  
Sarah gave him a look and then made a flourish with her hand. A fluffy, comfortable looking couch rose from the floor and Sarah sighed. She sat down and leaned back, closing her eyes. She felt Jareth sitting next to her. He took her hand, "Will you stay?"  
She opened her eyes and looked at him, "Stay?"  
"Here, with me? Be my queen?"  
Sarah's breath caught in her chest, "Not yet."  
Jareth looked at her, his face frozen. Then he grinned, "Not quite the answer I was looking for."  
She smiled back, "I know. I'm not really ready to be a queen yet. I want to go to college. Not to mention Toby is still a baby, and he'll need me to fend off Karen when he gets a little older. I have obligations…"  
"You have obligations here too but I guess they can wait. We do have forever."  
"Forever?"  
"You've come into your full magical gift. Your legacy from Charlotte. Once you turn 25 years old, You'll stop aging."  
Sarah gasped and covered her mouth. She looked away from him, thinking. She giggled a little then started laughing, "Oh God… how many times had I wished myself into a fantasy? What about… what about my family?" She looked back at him.  
He sighed sadly, "You'll have plenty of time to prepare for that, Sarah."  
She knew what he was talking about and she knew he was right. There was plenty of time. Now. Forever.  
"I'll think of that later," she whispered, "college first."  
Jareth chuckled, "Your are the strongest woman I know and that is why I love you." He kissed her hand and sat on the edge of the couch, turning to her. "By all means, go educate yourself amongst the apes and monkeys. But if you must…" He rolled a crystal into his hand, holding it between his thumb and forefinger. He held it out to her.  
"What is it?" She asked, puzzled.  
"It's a crystal. Nothing more. But if you turn it this way…" He turned it slightly and she saw within images of Ludo, Didymus, Hoggle, David, Doggle and his crew, and finally, Jareth.  
"… it will show you your dreams."  
She took it, keeping her eyes on him, "I have my dream, and he lives within me." She leaned to him and kissed him softly. She tossed the crystal into the air without breaking the kiss and it exploded into confetti that rained upon them.  
"What are you two waiting for?" Hoggle said, "This is a party!"  
"Paaaaaartttyyyy!" Ludo cried.  
Sarah laughed as she parted from Jareth and stood. Hundreds of goblins and various inhabitants of the Underground filled the room. A goblin band played loudly in a corner. Kegs and barrels of beer were opened and passed around. Sarah knelt to Hoggle and kissed him on the cheek, making him blush. She hugged Sir Didymus, scratched Lancelot behind the ear and stood, facing Ludo. Ludo looked a little sad but then his face lit up and hugged her, lifting her off the ground. Ludo set her down and she stumbled back, looking a little ruffled.  
Jareth laughed loudly, his booming voice filling the room as he took Sarah again into a dance, "Welcome home, Sarah."

**_A/N: THE END! OHEMGEE! I had so much fun writing this, as you could tell, since I started writing other Labyrinth fictions. Thank you who commented and reviewed and will still do so on my other stories as well as this one. I love getting comments. It makes me feel like I'm not just writing this stuff for myself. Thank you all agian! And stay tuned for more of my Labyrinth inspired Fan Fictions!_**


	23. Part 19 II

The Accidental Return

PART NINETEEN

A/N: Hello! Author here. Here is Part 19, the cleaner chapter. This one is posted over at Deviant Art. Enjoy!

Sarah scooted back into the bed and back into the pillows quickly away from him. She made a noise and jumped off the bed when she registered where she sat. Suddenly she was full of panic. She was only 19, she wasn't ready for this, was she? NO! Her mind screamed, I wasn't ready with Mike Trouper and I'm not ready with Jareth!

Really? Said that little treacherous voice. Because you were just thinking about how he would look without his shirt…

"What the hell is this?" She wasn't sure if that was to her mind or to Jareth, "You maneuvered me the whole way, didn't you? 'Just fear me, love me, do as I say, and I will be your slave. Let me rule you.' BAH! You tight panted fairy. HORN DOG! I bet that whole shit about not being able to send me back was a lie. How could I be so STUPID! Horn Dog!"

She stomped to the door and pulled at it but it wouldn't budge. Like Jareth didn't budge, he stayed at his place in the shadows, watching her, waiting for her to calm down. She went to the window and pushed at the glass, her fingers tracing the edges for a seem, a sash, anything to open it, "How the hell do I get out of here!"

"You can't."

She turned, speechless, her mouth opening and closing furiously. She threw her hands up and went back to the door, kicking at it. She jerked at the handle again, cussing and muttering angrily. Her insides were shaking with fear as her outsides screamed in anger. Was this all he wanted? He brought her back to… to… she didn't even want to think about it.

"It's no use Sarah, you can't leave. You're trapped until I let you out."

She turned back to him, her face dark, "So, what does that mean? You're going to rape me?" She winced at the word. Her step-mother had always worried about Sarah being caught by some man. She had drilled Sarah about taking mace with her when she went out and even signed Sarah up for self defense classes, which Sarah dropped out of frustration.

He took a step from the shadows into the dusty light, surprise and revulsion over his face, "Do you REALLY think I would do such a thing? COULD do such a thing?"

She stood still for a moment and then her shoulders slumped and then lowered her head, "No… You wouldn't. You talk big but you're a gentleman."

"The spell that would stabilize your magic is a very intimate one. There is a considerable amount you do not understand because this world is very different from yours, as you plainly have seen through your travels here. Magic is what makes this world possible and it follows very strict rules. You are the great granddaughter of the last queen of the Underground. By all rights, you should be ruling this land. Please sit down, there is a lot of explaining to do."

You can talk all night, I will never tire of hearing your voice, she thought as she sat back on the bed. Her anger was gone as quickly as it had come, to her disgust. How could he make her calm and docile with just a look? He stood at the foot of the bed, his arms folded over his chest, his eyes locked on her but silent. He looked as if he were trying to find a good place to start. She looked down at the coverlet on the bed, running her fingers over it. It was soft and buttery to the touch, it looked very warm. The blanket was the same color of the shirt he wore, she noticed. His clothes seemed to change with his mood. He wore black now, at least it looked black. His shirt was loose, open so she could see his chest. His pants were like breeches, tucked into his high boots. These seemed to be just his everyday clothes, nothing really special. He cleared his throat and she looked back up at him, startled out of her thoughts.

"When Charlotte was banished from the Underground, my father bound her magic to the land. Her magic is what kept the Underground from becoming just another fairy story. The magic she held is a kind of magic only passed down through generations. I am guessing that when she went to the Aboveground that she wrote down her spells in that book, The Labyrinth. She must have known that she or one of her descendants would return to the Underground someday and they needed a way to reclaim the rightful throne, or something to that degree."

Sarah nodded, it made some sense to her, "So everything I loved and memorized from the book are actually spells?"

"Yes. The wording is a little… strange. Then again, her kind of magic was always strange. I can not tell you how many times I saw her weave her magic; it was very subtle, you didn't know it was working until after you saw the results. One of the results were those last words you spoke to me before you went back-"

"Did you… mean those things you said to me?" She interrupted him.

He was quiet a moment before answering, "Selfishly, yes I did. You reminded me of Charlotte so much but also… your attitude towards me, our banter, your body language; adhered you to me. You, Sarah, not the image of Charlotte." He sighed and cleared his throat uncomfortably, "As I was saying, our last…chat… before you went back to the Aboveground."

He held out a crystal for her. She took it in her hands, feeling the cold glass in her hands as she looked into it, seeing Jareth and herself. She looked so young. Was it really three years ago? She could hear their words as she watched them talking.

"_Give me the child."_

"_Sarah, beware. I have been generous up until now. I can be cruel."_

"_Generous? What have done that was generous?"_

"_EVERYTHING! Everything that you wanted I have done. You asked that child be taken, I took him. You cowered before me and I was frightening. I have reordered time, I have turned the world upside down, and I have done it all for you! I am exhausted from living up to your expectations of me. Isn't that generous?"_

"_Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered, I have fought my way here to the castle beyond the Goblin City to take back the child that you have stolen, for my will is as strong as yours, and -"_

"_Stop! Wait…Sarah, look what I'm offering you. You're dreams."_

Sarah looked up at Jareth as the little movie in the bubble played. He looked pained, his eyes tight as he too, watched the movie. She looked back down.

"…_and my kingdom as great."_

"_I ask for so little, just let me rule you! And you can have… everything… that you want."_

"_Kingdom as great… damn! I can never remember that line."_

"_Just fear me, love me, do as I say, and I will be your slave."_

"_My kingdom as great…my kingdom as great… You have no power over me."_

The little bubble burst as that, making Sarah jump. Jareth turned, sighing heavily through his nose. Sarah rubbed her hands together, still feeling the cold from the bubble.

"You tried to stop me." She said quietly.

"I saw what was happening. I could see it. I didn't realize before who or what you were, just that you had to be stopped. You had some kind of magic around you that wasn't there when I brought you to the Underground. Usually the person who wishes away a child just gives up, leaving the child for me to have. I take it to where it will be taken care of and then go about my business. You on the other hand, are the first to solve my labyrinth and actually take back a child. You were and are very special. I know why now. Those words unlocked the bindings my father put on Charlotte's magic. You inherited your rightful power. It's been building since you left the Underground."

"Its subtle you said… I wouldn't really notice it… Like if I couldn't find something, it would suddenly appear in a place I already looked…" She thought back to all the times that had happened. Then she remembered what had happened since she came here: the ropes, the bangle, maybe even things she didn't realize.

He turned back to her, his arms still crossed over his open shirt, "Yes. You're untrained in magic, so its becoming unstable. If you want to help your friends, it would have to become stable to be of any help to them."

"You said that before, the stabilizing. We would have to… have… have… sex." She swallowed, her face suddenly becoming hot.

"No, Sarah. This spell I have to perform to help you, I do have to share myself with you. My control will stabilize your magic. My ability to use magic will allow you to use yours. It is done between a man and a woman, a king and his new queen. A sharing of power. It's very intimate, very close to sex, without the intercourse."

She nodded, her eyes downcast. She was too embarrassed to meet his eyes, "Like cramming years of study into a single session. You'd do like a…Vulcan Mind-meld kind of thing." She said quietly.

"I do not know what a Vulcan Mind-meld is, but your analogy about studying is true, in a simple way."

She looked up suddenly, "I don't understand how you do that."

"Do what?" He looked at her, turning slightly.

"Insult me without insulting me."

He blinked at her and then smiled sheepishly. She liked how his eyeteeth were slightly more prominent, pointed, a clear sign to the predator he was. She noticed for the first time he wasn't wearing gloves. Every time she had seen him, he wore gloves in some color or fabric. His hands were soft looking but very strong. She stared at them, her face growing hot again.

"Are you willing to try, Sarah?"

She looked up into his eyes, "It will help my friends. But first, will you let Hoggle and Didymus go? If I'm trying to help my friends, I would like to know the ones you took from me will be ok."

His face become hard, then softened as he shrugged, "It's done."

"Just like that?"

"I have to admit I only did that to them to hurt you. I was being… vindictive. With what were about to do, we're taking care of two birds with one arrow."

"What do you mean?"

He came around to sit on the bed by her. She was sitting in the middle of the large bed again, and the bed was large. She thought it was bigger then her whole bedroom. Even sitting in the middle of the bed, he seemed so close to her.

"The Fairy Queen."

Sarah jerked as he spoke.

"The Fairy Queen is a pain in my side and I wish to be rid of her."

"I thought you were suppose to marry her?"

"I was, but after what she has done, I do not think she is the kind of woman to rule the Underground, let alone rule the fairies."

"I see what you mean. Couldn't you see what she was before you agreed to marry her?"

"She's a very good actress and she… well… we don't need to go into details. Are you ready?"

Sarah thought a moment, thinking about what he was going to say. He couldn't have loved her, he already made those kinds of feelings very clear. He was probably going to say something about her being good in bed, but she dismissed that thought. "How can I be ready for something like this? But lets get it over with anyway."

Jareth nodded and stood, removing his shirt. Sarah jerked and pulled a pillow over her body, "Wait a second! You said it wasn't sex!"

"Yes, I did. But I also said it was very close to sex. There must be as much skin contact as possible."

"Oh… oh God…" She covered her eyes as he started out of his boots and then his breeches. She buried her face in her pillow as he felt the covers slide back and she knew he was under them.

"Oh God oh God oh God…"

"Sarah?"

"OhGodohGodohGod…"

"Sarah, you have to undress."

"OH GOD." Her voice came out in a panicked squeak.

"I won't look, I promise."

She could hear the smile in his voice. She peeked over her pillow and saw the sheets covered his hips, barely. Her eyes traveled from the edge of the sheet up over his stomach to his bare chest and shoulders, he looked so… so… she couldn't think of the word. His muscles were so well defines under his skin. His skin was so creamy and soft looking she wanted to reach out and touch it but she just buried her head again instead, moaning, "OH GOD."

"Sarah, every second, your friends are being tortured by the Fairy Queen."

Sarah sighed, "Close your eyes!"

He smiled and closed his eyes, even putting a hand over them dramatically. She sighed and crawled under the covers as far as she could from him before removing her shoes. They thunked onto the floor, the sheets making a stiff rustling as she popped her hands under the sheet back and forth, each shoe to the floor then her socks. The sheets were as dark as the blankets and she found that a little vulgar. She removed her over shirt and then her t-shirt. She noticed how dirty they were and was a little ashamed. She shimmied out of her jeans and piled them on top of her shirts that were on top of her shoes. She did not remove her bra and panties, though she knew Jareth had to be buck naked. She didn't dare imagine what kind of underwear he would wear under his tight pants.

"Oh Goooood." She moaned and she covered her eyes.

Jareth peeked between his fingers, a smirk spreading across his face, "Took you long enough."

She looked at him from over the top of the sheet she had pulled up to her chin, "Don't you dare start that with me. This is hard enough. Oh GOD, what I do for my friends."

His face softened, "I'm sorry."

That startled her into lowering her sheet to look at him, "You are?'

"I am. You are very brave and you are a very good friend. I wish I had someone who would do such things for me."

This made Sarah feel a little better. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, "SO! What do we do?"

Suddenly he was very close, she didn't even heard the sheets move. The bed hangings dropped, sending them into darkness. She made a little noise, looking around wildly. Had this been a hoax? Had he just said all those things to have his way with her?

"Jareth?" She squeaked.

She felt a hand on her bare leg and it made her shiver, but she didn't jerk away. The darkness was pierced by a soft glowing. The glow revealed Jareth, only a few inches from her. She felt his shoulder press to hers, the left side of his body pressing to her right side as he turned his body slight so the glowing orb he held in his palm bathed them both in even, soft pearly light. Sarah stared at the orb, her fear melting away in the soft light. Her hand found the one he had on her leg and she laced her fingers in his. His hands were as soft as they looked.

"What now?" She asked quietly, breathlessly.

His eyes are so clear, she thought as he leaned forward. His dark eye so warm and brown, the blue one like the summer sky. The silver above his eyes were like tattoos. His smell over powered her. She knew what the underlying smell to him was, the one she couldn't identify before. It was magic. Magic, she thought as he pressed his lips to hers. The glowing orb pressed between their bodies as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders, unable to help herself. She moved closer to him, her legs tangling into his. The heat of his body was like a fever. The warmth she wanted all for herself.

There was a stronger light now, she saw when she opened her eyes. They were inches apart, he breathed heavily, his chest heaving. She felt his excitement against her thigh. She didn't mind it, it actually excited her a little in a fearful, anticipated way. She saw the smoldering look in his eyes again, but it was stronger. It was a fire that would burn them both alive if it could. She took a deep shaking breath and looked around. The light was so strong. She looked down at her arms that were still wrapped around his shoulders and she moved them so her hands were locked behind his head, in his wheat colored hair.

Her skin glowed brightly, iridescent white against the whiteness of her bra. He seemed to glow too. His lips were peach colored and she smiled at that. His tongue ran over the peach color skin, "Sarah." His voice was husky.

"Yes?"

"Kiss me."

She didn't need to be told twice. Her breath heaved in her chest as she pressed her body as close as she could to his as she tangled her fingers in his hair. His large soft hands gently slid over her hips and up her back, making her shiver.

She had had boyfriends. She knew how to kiss, but this was different. It was like the flying. She could feel her body soaring. And then it was falling. She felt scared and unsure as she broke the kiss and pressed her face into his shoulder, shaking wildly.

"Its ok," he whispered in her ear, stroking her hair gently, "This is apart of it. Your magic is equalizing. I won't let you go."

She felt tears leave her eyes in hot streams. She pressed closer to him, almost to the point her arms hurt from using her muscles. She wrapped her legs around his waist, sitting on his lap. Her breath caught as she felt like a million tiny hands catch her as she fell. It was so light, the touches, and she felt the fall slowing. Her breath sped up as a warmth gathered in her belly and started spreading through her. She leaned away from Jareth, leaning back, her arms falling back as she head rolled back. She stared up at the top of the canopy but didn't see it. She saw the whole of the Underground passing through her sight. The glittery forest, the Labyrinth, the Ocean of Grass, the Deep Freeze, Hidden Valley, Glass Sea, goblins, fairies, unicorns, bats, birds, insects, worms, trees, vines, shrubs, stones, rocks, rivers, streams, blades of grass; it all flashed before her before she fell onto Jareth. Her body stopped quivering slowly.

His body felt cool to her and then she realized how hot her own body was. Her breath was even as she leaned away from Jareth to look in his eyes and she could see the magic in the back of them. She pressed her hands to his cheeks and rested her lips on his and the fire became hotter. She felt the need rise in her suddenly. Her need of him.

"Sarah," He gasped as he pulled back, "It's finished."

She took a deep shaking breath as she sat up, her hands pressing to her mouth. She held her hands out, her palms down, looking at them, at the glittering glow that seemed to come off her skin. Her skin was clearer, no freckles or blemishes, no scratched or scars and then the glow seemed to fade slowly. She looked past her hands to his chest and she realized she was startled across his hips.

"Sarah?" Jareth asked quietly.

She didn't seem to hear him as she stared down at his chest. She pressed her hands to his chest and moved her hands over it, feeling the muscle definition. His shoulders, his arms, his neck.

She took a deep, shuttering breath, "Jareth."

He looked up at her and then gripped her arms, pushing her to the side and into the pillows, almost crushing her into them. She wrapped her arms around him, coming up to meet him as he kissed her again and again. Again, she couldn't help but feel as if he were trying to swallow her whole.

"No…" He stopped and tried to move away but she grabbed his arm.

"I want…"her voice trailed off. He looked at her. Even in the darkness of the false night, she could see him. It was the glow from both of their skin.

"It's the magic, you're drunk on it." He said quietly.

"No, I'm not." She said louder, "I want you. Please."

She held her hands out to him. He hesitated and then took her hands, kissing them, "I love you, Sarah."

"I love those words out of your mouth." She said with a smile, "I love you, Jareth. Will you be my slave?" She laughed.

He laughed with her, "Forever." He pulled her to him and kissed her softly, so gently she swooned in his arms, shivering.

Jareth lay her gently to the pillows as she smiled at him, "I think I've waited for you. This feels… right."

Jareth paused and then it came to him. He only smiled and then kissed her again.

Out in the garden, Hoggle fell over. He cussed and stood up, rubbing his head, "How the hell did I get out here?"


End file.
